


Second Chances

by SisterWine



Category: X-Men Alternate Universe
Genre: Aftermath, Loving Again, M/M, Moving On
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 20:03:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 38,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4759223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SisterWine/pseuds/SisterWine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Twelve-part sequel to "Neighbours". Since I've been rereading my own fic, I decided to entertain the idea for a sequel. *Pauses* I'm allowed.<br/>Disclaimer: Logan, Jean, Alex, Scott and Remy are the sole property of Marvel Comics, Disney Corp., and 20th Century Fox. I make no moneys off of either character, nor do I claim them as my own. Matthew and Stephanie are my own creations and therefore, I own the rights to them and you do not. (LOL, sorry). No harm intended. No moneys exchanged. Strictly fiction and fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The white car pulled into the driveway and hushed the engine. Remy sat there a moment before getting out, sighing to himself. It had been a year and a half since they had put Alex to rest. Scott had followed suit not seven months into his sentence from an inmate who had become particularly possessive over him. With his head resting against the headrest, he closed his eyes for a moment. Night had fallen long ago and he was pretty sure everyone else was in bed so, he sat there and listened to the silence of the night.

He must have sat there for some time because he jumped when a tap at the window woke him from his musings. Opening his eyes and turning to see a dark figure at the driver's side window, he cracked the door open when he realised it was Logan. "You spyin' on me, Logan?"

"Nope. I usually tap on cardoor windows in the middle of the night, just to see if someone's sleepin' in their car, again." Logan smiled playfully. He had been dressed in his workpants and white sleeveless undershirt, sitting on his front porch steps having a short beer and savouring his last cigar before he went to bed. He had been keeping an eye on Remy's white sportscar for the past half hour, hoping the young Cajun was alright. "Workin' later and later, aren't ya, Cajun?"

Getting out of the driver's seat and standing up, Remy smoothed his maroon silk dress shirt and black tie before slipping his hands into his black suit pants pockets, his right clutching his car keys tightly as if thinking he were going to lose them if he loosened his grip around them. Shaking his head, he stared down at the ground. "Gotta keep my mind goin, non? Can't stay in one place too long or de thoughts get goin' again an' can't really spend time thinkin' 'bout him."

Logan's brow furrowed. It had been 18 months since Remy was on a kick of not speaking about his lost lover but, it was the way Remy had addressed it that brought Logan back to that time in the past. "So, you've just been workin and not datin, huh?"

"Got a presentation due for de Xavier Institute, next week. Figure I get a jump on it, no?" Remy shrugged and leaned against the car. 

Nodding, Logan understood that Remy had a "finishing quality" about him. Remy was always pushing himself to work harder and longer hours when he really didn't have to. In fact, Remy was there at work when Logan clocked in, in the morning, and stayed at work until late at night when after Logan had long ago clocked out. Logan admired that quality Remy was giving to the company but he was concerned that Remy was too young to become a workaholic like he had been when his wife died. "I'm sure your dad appreciates the hard work yer puttin in."

Snorting his answer, Remy looked away from Logan and back across the street where Logan's half-empty beer bottle sat on the front step and started thinking about something cold to drink while snuggling on the bed with--...... who was he trying to think of, again? "Poppa's on holiday this week. I'm just makin sure de work is all done for when he gets back."

"Right." Hands in his pants pockets, Logan skimmed over the young Cajun and noticed Remy's new-found twinge he would get when he was avoiding a certain topic. "I uh, saw that new recruit, down in Accounting, kinda lookin at ya, the other day. Thinkin maybe.... you two might hit it off, or somethin? He seems kinda nice."

Remy smirked. "Yea, hear he likes baseball and shootin pool. Everythin' an Accountant needs to survive." He thought for a long moment and then looked back at Logan. "You got someone sweet, Logan?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Never found anyone to fill her place. My kids think I'm gonna die lonely and broken down but, they only liked one person out of the whole mess." Logan eyed Stephanie's dark window and thought about the many conversations they had had about Remy and his lack of finding someone to take Alex's place.

"Yea. Me too." Remy checked his watch and yawned at how late it was getting. Even though it was the weekend now, he was still exhausted from the lack of sleep he had during the week. "Well, better turn in. Time for de meds to start workin' t'rough. G' night, Logan." Reflexively, Remy pushed off of the car and leaned over to kiss Logan's cheek, something he had done many times to Alex as they parted company for the night. Taking a few steps towards his front door, he paused and realised what he had just done, and to whom. Since Logan hadn't corrected him, he continued on to the door and then inside his darkened house.

~*(%!~

It was a week later when Logan saw Remy again, sitting on his front step with a glass of iced tea and a cigarette. With dark sunglasses on and summer attire, Remy waved over to him but didn't move from where he sat. His long auburn hair had been pulled back into a ponytail that the light breeze of the afternoon delightedly played with. 

Logan had come back from the market and was unloading his groceries when he spotted the young Cajun sitting outside. He nodded back and called a "hello" before finishing getting his numerous paper bags inside before venturing over. "How ya feeling?" Logan called from midstreet as he made his way to stand in front of Remy.

Remy shrugged and took a sip of his tea. "Wakin up but feelin better dan I was, yesterday. You?" Replacing the glass beside him, Remy looked up at the security guard and gave a faint smile, offering him a glass of tea or a smoke. When Logan accepted, Remy stood up and opened the front door to pour Logan a glass of tea, listening to the neighbour's day. He could feel his clothes becoming hot as the other man followed him inside. His heartbeat raced and he had to mentally tell himself not to panic as Logan had stepped a little too close to him.

When Logan stepped into the house, he found that Remy's downstairs was immaculately clean and neat. "I see you took down the blinds from your windows. Looks nice in here. Brighter, at least." He stood in the doorway and looked around the livingroom, noting the folded bedding and pillow on the far end of the sofa. "Expectin company?"

"Huh?" Remy had finished pouring Logan the drink and had already put the pitcher back into the refrigerator before walking over to his guest and handing Logan his glass. "Non, I was watchin tv last night and didn't want to move upstairs."

Logan smiled at the thought of Remy's little camp out. "Cute." Taking a sip, Logan took a second to enjoy the taste of the cool liquid in his mouth; just like Jean used to make. There was a brief silence before Logan started to speak again only to be interrupted by Remy's cell phone ringing loudly from upstairs on his bed. "Ya know, Steph's birthday is comin up. She'd like ya to be there, if yer free?"

As the phone rang again and Remy placed his own newly replenished glass of tea down on the coaster, on the small table beside the sofa, and started up the stairs after excusing himself. "She wants me dere, huh?" Remy called down from the top of the stairs as he made his way to his room to grab his phone that was on the third chorus of his favourite song. When he came back, he had missed the call and was checking his messages while walking down the stairs. "How old is she gonna be?"

"Gah. 14. Can you believe it? My babygirl is growin up." Logan grinned, proudly.

Remy smiled as he retrieved his glass from the table and took a sip, shoving his cell phone into his shorts pocket. "Becomin a lady, ain't she?"

Logan's grin brightened. "Yea, she sure is." The faraway look in his eye as he pictured giving his daughter away at her wedding and the birth of his first grandchild was stopped by Remy clearing his throat and smiling courteously at him. "Uh, yea, she is." Logan blushed and changed the subject before Remy could see his cheeks redden too deeply. "Anyway, it's next Saturday at 3. Sound good?"

"Oui. Gimme time to shop fer her. What's she like?"

Logan had to think for a moment on what Stephanie wanted and what he thought was a low enough price for Remy to shop for. "Well, she's been talkin about telescopes and solariums. But, then again, she is growing into a very pretty young lady. Maybe a makeup kit or a gift card to a dress shop, or somethin. Nothin too expensive." Finishing his glass of tea, Logan took it over to the sink and set it in before turning back to Remy. "Well, I gotta get back to oversee the two terrors, across the street." Thanking Remy for the tea, Logan started out of the house before stopping and turning back to the young Cajun. "By the way, Matt talked me into grillin some steaks and hot dogs, if you wanna stop by, later on."

"Sure. Sounds fun. I bring de tea and beer?"

Logan grinned. "Sounds good. About five okay?"

It was Remy's turn to smile. "Five's just fine. Can clean up an' run to de store. See ya den!"

Logan waved goodbye and smirked to himself all the way back over to his own front porch. After weeks of offering to have Remy over and Remy not accepting, Logan finally won. His next task was to get his two "monsters" to help him clean up the house for company. They had asked him about having Remy over for months but his answer was always the same, "Remy's busy and can't make it this time." How they'd be happy to hear that he finally got Remy to agree for some steaks.

Logan had spent some time thinking about Remy and how Remy hadn't been out for dinner or drinks with anyone since the funeral, so he wanted to make a special evening for Remy but keep it a casual thing. Remy had already misunderstood the signs a year and a half ago so he had to be extra careful not to mislead Remy and also not to alienate Remy in the process. He had his work cut out for him. "Hey, munchkins! Help me clean up the house for our guest, tonight!" He called from the bottom of the stairs as he opened the door and walked in.

Matthew, now 12, poked his head out of his room and called down to his father, "who's comin?" Matthew had grown three inches and managed to go through clothes and shoes about as fast as he grew. Over the course of the winter, he and Logan have had to replace his entire bed due to him breaking it, just from dumping his soccer gear onto it and then flopping down, from exhaustion.

"Remy. Nudge yer sister." Logan smiled as he heard Matthew scream with delight and run over to his sister's room to bang on her door as if the house were burning down. The banging continued as Logan wandered into the kitchen to check on how well the steaks were thawing.

"Steph!! The Remster is comin! Hurry up!"

Stephanie opened her door and raised an eyebrow at her younger brother. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Hnn." She had been dressed in a nice pastel yellow summer dress with little blue flowers on it and had been trying to figure out how to wear her hair for the day. She had finally settled on barrettes and had been standing in front of her full length mirror before being rattled by the banging on the door. Her hair was longer, now. Both of theirs were but Stephanie's hair was now the full length that Jean's hair had been before she was killed. A beautiful young woman that resembled her mother in almost every form that it usually resulted in making Logan tear up as he kissed her goodnight. "I will be down in a minute. Go help dad, please." Though she was older, Matthew had grown to two inches taller than her over the course of a few months.

"Hurry up! Remy's gay, he doesn't care how pretty you are!" Matthew had said it, not to be mean to either his sister or Remy but to get her mind off of her mirror and looks and downstairs to clean. Although, he could have chosen better phrasing.

Stephanie sighed, inwardly.

 

Continued.


	2. Chapter 2

The doorbell rang promptly at five. Remy stood on the porch, with the case of beer and fresh pitcher of tea in his hands, and waited. He swallowed the lump in his throat and rang the bell again after no one came the first time. A small sigh as he heard the footsteps behind the door. Planting a smile on his face, he awaited the door to open and was surprised at how beautiful Stephanie looked in her summer gown. "Wow, petite. You look very nice."

Stephanie blushed. "Thank you. Dad and everyone are out on the back porch. Come on out." 

Following her out, Remy mouthed the word, "everyone" as a question because he wasn't expecting anyone else to be there. There had been one other car in front of the house but Remy figured it was for the neighbours. As for the 10-speed bicycle, next to the front door, he figured one of the children had gotten a new one. He let her open the sliding glass door, and tried to be prepared for the supposed crowd that awaited them. For a moment, it looked like the medium height blond, amongst the other guests, was Alex but, in fact, it was someone Remy had never seen before. He was a handsome young man, who favoured Hawaiin flower shirts and khaki shorts to go with his flip-flops rather than sandals and other odd summer attires. He found himself strangely attracted to the young man but reversed himself as the young man went back to making jokes and laughing with Logan.

"Remy!" Matthew's voice came from the other end of the long backyard as he caught the football that an older man had thrown to him. The 12-year-old ran with the ball that he had caught up onto the cherrywood porch that Logan had built when he and Jean had moved in, and up to Remy, taking the pitcher of tea from the Cajun. He placed it on the table before running inside for some glasses and then back out to throw the ball to his friend.

Logan stood at the grill with the other man and looked up from the steaks and hot dogs and called over to him. "Hey, Rem!" Stepping aside and walking over to the newest guest and taking the case of beer from him, Logan introduced him to the other guests. Between Remy and the grill sat a big round white patio table, where two other guests had sat. Logan turned and introduced them first. "This is Jean's parents, Dr. John Grey and his wife, Elaine," motioning over to the other young man by the grill, he introduced him, "Bobby Drake. He's a friend from Jean's work," turning to point out the older gentleman who threw Matthew the football, "that's Jason Banks. He lives down the street. His wife, Sarah, comes over to watch the kids every now and then. Everyone, this is Remy LeBeau, the head of the Contracting Department, where I work."

Matthew threw the football back to Jason and then called up to Remy, "hey Remy! Wanna come play?"

Logan called back from the grill and answered for the Cajun, now sitting at the table. "Matt, let him relax a moment." Turning back to Remy, he changed the subject. "What would you like, Rem? Hot dog or steak? Plenty of both."

"Steak's fine. Merci." Remy had broken into the box of beer as Stephanie had poured her grandparents some tea from the pitcher Remy brought. Handing Logan and Bobby a beer before getting his own, Remy accepted compliments on the tea he had made before joining the party. 

"Steph, baby, would you go check on the beans and the biscuits?" Logan called over to the girl who was now sitting on her grandpa's lap. 

As Stephanie got up to go back inside, Bobby came around and sat down in the empty chair next to Remy and smiled at him, sweetly. "You work in the same building as Logan, huh?"

"Oui." Remy nodded.

Bobby fiddled with the paper on the beer bottle, trying not to notice how great Remy looked in his faded blue jeans and worn maroon T-shirt with faded yellow writing. Bobby had a thing for redheads and Cajuns were always a plus but, he had to admit to himself, this was the first executive he ever had a crush on after meeting him five minutes before. He couldn't help but notice how great Zest soap smelled on another man, and how Remy wore the fragrance well.

"So, Remy," Dr. Grey started in. "Logan tell us you live across the street. Rather have suburbia over the uptown lifestyles?" Fresh white dress shirt and tan khaki pants had been the doctor's retirement look for a few years now.

Remy smiled. "Oui. It's quieter out here. De big house on de block was always my father's life, not mine."

Bobby had wanted to comment but was hushed as Stephanie poked her head out of the sliding glass door to announce that the food inside was ready.

Standing up from his chair and placing the bottle of beer down, after one last sip, Remy offered to help with plates and things. He hurried inside and offered his services to the teenager before he was told not to. He had to admit that Bobby was cute but he reminded Remy too much of Alex. So, he had to deter himself from starting anything he might regret, with another man.

"I think he likes you," Stephanie whispered over her shoulder as Remy took the ceramic bean dish from the oven while she placed the biscuits into a basket and then placed the basket onto a stack of paper plates. She held the stack and bisuits in one hand while collecting napkins and plastic silverware in the other.

Remy leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "How do you know?"

Stephanie smiled. "Aside from reading his mind, it's so obvious, Remy." Turning back to look at him, she blushed. "If it were any more adult, I'd need a cold shower."

It was Remy's turn to blush now. He had turned off his "charm" and shut himself off from all abilities as he was not interested in dating anyone just yet. Since he had shut himself down, he missed the key piece of information about Bobby that he might have needed when they met. "What do you propose I do?"

"Let him down, gently."

"But, I haven't done anythin'."

Stephanie shrugged. "Then, why not give it a try?" 

Remy shook his head, cautiously. "Non. Not ready, yet." He really didn't want to let on that he was secretly waiting for Logan to give in but wasn't going to push anything. He had several nights filled with the same dream that he and Logan were making love, in his bedroom, and both men were enjoying the moment tremendously.

Pausing at the backdoor, Stephanie turned around to stare up at Remy. "Look, just because you had one bad relationship and a very big mess of a breakup, doesn't mean that every guy out there has it in for you. Dad says you'll never be happy again unless you find someone who makes you happy, just by being in the same room with them. Besides, Bobby's had a tough time, too. If anything, you can find something to just hang out about."

"You know so much about him, hehn?"

"Hm, not quite so much. I do know that you're his first boy-crush. What have you got to lose?" Stephanie turned to lead him out of the house and over to the table. 

Remy didn't know whether to feel special or embarrassed about the little piece of information he had learned about Bobby. For the rest of the dinner, he had been mindful of how he approached Bobby, careful not to hurt his feelings about turning the other man away but also thought to himself about how to deal with a "first-timer."

As the party died down and the other guests were either leaving or getting ready to leave, it had become clear that Bobby had wanted to talk to Remy about something but choked at every chance he got. When he finally did get the courage up, Dr. Grey interrupted with a question to him.

"Robert, can we give you a lift home? A bit dark to ride on a busy street, don't you think?" Dr. John Grey had known Bobby for a year or so before Logan met Jean or Bobby. He liked Bobby's fun-loving spirit but also enjoyed how both men treated well his only daughter that they worked with.

"Uh, thanks. No, I'll be fine. I don't live too far, actually." They stood in the middle of Logan's living room and Bobby found himself fidgeting with his beltloops. After the night he had, sitting next to Remy, smelling his sweet soap scent, trying not to stare at Remy's handsome face, and now feeling awkward when standing not two feet from him in an empty living room, in a house that wasn't his. The two mile ride home would do wonders to where a cold shower and vaseline was unavailable. "Well, Remy," Bobby cleared his throat and forced out a hand for him to shake. "It was nice meeting ya. Maybe I'll see you next weekend? At the party?"

Remy had to think for a minute. In all of the excitement of the evening, he had forgotten about Stephanie's birthday party. "Sure.I'll be dere." He smiled at how nervous Bobby had become as the night progressed. He could tell that Bobby was just as nervous around Remy as Remy was around him. "I walk ya to da curb?"

"Sure." Bobby blushed.

When Logan came back from telling his in-laws goodbye, he was glad to see Remy and Bobby hitting it off rather well. It was getting pretty late and he hated shoving people out of the door but figured they got the idea as both men started towards the front door. "See ya two later." Patting Remy's back and waving back to Bobby as the young man on the other side of Remy had waved to Logan, he walked them to the door and watched as they both walked down to the street, together, chatting about the evening. Both had thanked him several times over for the delicious dinner and chatted and swapped stories about this and that before saying good night to the kids before some grown up talk. Logan was happy that maybe Remy would get out of his rut and date someone. A year and a half was a bit long to wait but he understood how grief worked.

~*(%!~

As they got to the curb, Bobby noticed that his back tire was flat. "Damn! I can't ride home, now." Bobby looked disgusted with his tire but secretly enjoyed the extra few minutes he got to spend with the fascinating Cajun. "Mind if I borrow your phone? I forgot my cell at home." He smiled nervously and was greatful that Remy smiled back and nodded to the house across the street.

"You got someone to call, homme?" Remy took his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, waiting for Bobby to leave the bike on the front step and walk inside.

"No, just callin' a taxi."

Remy dug a phone book out of the cabinet, above the refrigerator, and placed it on the countre before bringing the cordless phone over to his guest. "I can take you home. Taxis, dey steal your money an' drive like maniacs."

Bobby shook his head, embarrassed. "No no, you're probably too busy. I can call a cab tonight, then walk down to the sports store tomorrow and pick up another tire. Don't want you to go completely out of your way for a total stranger."

"No trouble." Remy smiled.

Relieved, Bobby broke down and accepted the ride home. "Mind if I borrow your restroom first?"

Remy nodded and waved Bobby upstairs. "You can use mine. De guest one is bein' renovated." Showing Bobby into his bedroom, Remy paused as he realised that, other than Logan and his father, Bobby was the first prospect to grace his bedroom since Alex died. "Right through dere. I'll wait downstairs, hehn?"

After relieving himself, Bobby washed his hands and looked around Remy's giant bathroom and noted a 5x7 picture of a young blond man, wrapped in plastic, taped to the shower wall under the showerhead. He swallowed as he thought to himself about what he was trying to get into. He wondered if it really was different than persuing a woman. Logan had left out the part that Remy was coming off of mourning for his dead lover, and Bobby didn't really know if he could help or hurt the situation, if Remy wasn't interested in persuing him. Bobby did come to one conclusion though, Remy did like guys and seemed to be a pretty nice, well-behaved one to try and get a complete reading on. He wasn't sure exactly how this "gay thing" worked. He did know that, after his last girlfriend went hysterical on him, he was willing to try anything other than her.

Returning downstairs to find Remy sitting on the sofa, going through his posts, Bobby cleared his throat in a small attempt to get Remy's attention. "Thanks. Beers go right through me, sometimes." Kiddingly, Bobby smiled and waited as Remy placed the unopened envelopes on the cushion beside him and stood up. "Ready?"

"Oui." Remy had wanted to respond to the statement but what he was thinking might have gotten him into hot water.

As Bobby led the way outside, Remy couldn't seem to keep his eyes above Bobby's waistline. How wondered how Bobby really felt about him, or if it was just a joke that Stephanie and Logan were playing on him. They didn't seem to really mind that their neighbour was gay, and had no real objections to hanging out with him, every other week or so. But, what if it was all a joke? What if this was what Jean-Luc really meant by "no one will really take you seriously" in this lifestyle? He sighed as he took the lead over to his car trunk and unlocked it for Bobby to put his bicycle in. Tethering the lid shut with a small bungee cord, Remy unlocked the doors and slipped into the driver's seat.

Bobby directed Remy to the building that he had moved into a month prior, other than that, the ride was quiet; awkward. Pointing to an open parking spot, Bobby opened the door but paused to turn and thank Remy for the lift. 

"Need some help?" Remy sat, relaxed, in the driver's seat with his hand on the key, ready to turn the engine off. Nothing in his movements gave any hint that he was in a hurry to leave but he wasn't exactly saying that he'd like to stay any longer, either.

Thinking for a minute, Bobby shook his head. "Nah, I got it. Thanks." Shutting the door and walking back to unfasten the trunk lid, Bobby mumbled, "but I'd love the company."

As if hearing the mumble Bobby had said, Remy unfastened his seatbelt and opened the door after shutting off the engine. "I just might regret dis." Remy closed the car door and walked back to help Bobby get his bicycle from the trunk. As they placed the bike on the ground, Remy tossed the cord into the trunk and shut the lid. He forced a small smile as their eyes met. It was getting late and darker by the minute but Remy had had enough of playing cat and mouse and decided to play the rest of the evening out for himself. He had to hear Bobby say the words if he liked Remy or not.

"Thanks." Bobby suddenly felt a wave of nervousness come over him. Being this close to Remy was bad enough but trying to think of something intelligent to say around him was even worse. He could feel his airway close up as Remy leaned in to hear what Bobby was mumbling.

"You feel okay, homme?" Remy seemed genuinely concerned from Bobby's inability to form complete sentences.

Bobby came around to where they were and how foolish he must have looked, babbling in the middle of the flat complex parking lot and the latest hour of the night. "Eh-- fine. Guess that last beer was a bit much."

Remy smiled at the faintness of flattery and decided to help Bobby to his second floor apartment. He had to help Bobby with the key in the door as Bobby had shaken so bad, he dropped them onto the front mat. Unlocking the door and opening it to the dark flat, Remy paused to let Bobby slink in first, with his bicycle, and then offer Remy inside. "You gonna be okay? Ya turning a few shades of green."

"Fine. Just not used to drinking so much." Bobby sat down on the red futon sofa that had been placed in the middle of the room, facing the wall to the left of the door, where the television sat. "Feel free to stay, if you like." He knew that he was starting to sound like he was shoving Remy out but he really wanted someone to talk to, for awhile.

Stepping in and closing the door, Remy stood there and glanced around the 925 square foot flat and the makeshift furniture that Bobby barely had. "Live here long?"

Bobby looked up from holding his head in his hands and glanced around his living room. "Um, just moved in, actually. My ex was a real piece of work and I caught her doing something that wasn't her style so, I moved out. Ran into Logan at the store and he invited me over for dinner." He couldn't bare to look at Remy's expression and what the "rich kid" must have thought about his not-so-social living arrangements.

"I see."

"He also mentioned that I should meet you tonight, and if I liked what I saw," Bobby paused to drop his head back down to stare at the floor, between his legs.

Here it comes.

Bobby kept his voice up but couldn't tear himself away from staring at the floor to look in his hopeful boss' face as he finished, "that I should go and apply for a job at your company."

Remy bit the side of his mouth in thought. Interesting way to check out a possible employer. Placing his hands in his jeans front pockets and taking another step forward, Remy had to know to the answer. "So, how did I fare?"

Finally looking up to meet Remy's eyes, Bobby had to come clean. "I don't think I can work for you."

"No?"

"Someone once told me, 'you should never work for someone you think you might be falling in love with.'" Bobby kept his eyes on Remy's calm features, looking for any sign of a break. None.

Remy swallowed. "How do you know? I could be a complete jerk, non?"

Shaking his head, Bobby laughed softly. "That's not how Logan describes you."

Logan did think nicely of him. Remy wondered what Logan's true feelings of Remy were and why he felt he had to set Remy up on a "blind date" like he did. "So," moving over to squat down in front of the other man and look at him, face to face, Remy asked again, "what do you think of Remy, homme?"

Bobby could feel his heart pound as Remy came closer to him. He had a gorgeous face to stare into; lips that curved just right and looked so soft, eyes that went on forever in their dark and fiery depths, skin so perfect and soft that Bobby couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. Before he knew it, he was quickly closing the gap and kissing those soft, pink lips, passionately. Forcing the younger man backwards to lay on the carpeted floor, the kiss continued undetered. He could feel Remy's hands in his hair and took the liberty of sliding his own hands underneath the maroon shirt to glide along the soft and taut planes of Remy's torso.

Rolling the other man over so that he was on top, Remy was paused as Bobby explained that this was his first time and that he really didn't move so fast on the first date. Smiling, Remy backed off and sat up. "I guess it's been awhile for Remy, too." As he tried to stand up, feeling a bit guilty and embarrassed for taking the chance too far, he was again stopped.

"I- I think I wanna try this." Bobby stared up at the gorgeous man in his living room.

Remy swallowed dryly. He had never really been a teacher of this sort of thing. It had just sort of- happened. Looking down, into the man's eyes that pleaded with him to teach, Remy nodded solemnly and pulled Bobby to his feet. "Go get comfortable an' I be right back. Ok?" Remy watched as Bobby strolled to the bedroom, straight back from the front door, and hurriedly left to fetch a small bottle of hand lotion from the glovebox of his car and return. He wondered if Bobby had any condoms but if not, he remembered he had some in his wallet; not the brightest place to keep them.

Walking back up the stairs to Bobby's flat, Remy wondered if he wasn't taking advantage of things. As he reached for the door handle, he told himself that he had to take it slow and let Bobby say what he could handle. He knew he didn't want to turn Bobby into a Priest. He opened the door, confident in his decision, closed and latched it behind him as he looked toward the bedroom that had a single, faint light on. Sliding his tongue over his lips, he cautiously made his way over to the bedroom where he found Bobby, sitting on the end of the bed that sat against the wall, opposite the door, waiting for him.

Bobby was still in his clothes but had kicked off his flip-flops and closed the blinds. As Remy walked up to stand in front of him, he looked up and asked, innocently, "what do we do first?"

 

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Remy woke some time in the night and watched Bobby sleep. His mind replayed the few hours of events as he slipped quietly from the bed and got dressed. He had spent the better part of an hour teaching Bobby the joys of felatio, reveling that his student caught on quickly. As Remy demonstrated, he smirked as Bobby had been so amazed that Remy had mastered the art at making Bobby come twice in under five minutes. The felatio was the easy part of the courting, the full sex was proving to be the hard part. 

Exiting the bedroom, with his sneakers in one hand, Remy paused at the front door after hearing a small whimper come from the bedroom. After waiting a moment for any other movement or sound, Remy quietly opened the door and slipped out of the flat. He paused, again, just outside of the door to slip on his sneakers and smile a cheerful "hello" as the neighbour upstairs from Bobby had come down for an early morning jog in the park. He didn't bother tieing them but left the laces hanging out so they clicked and tapped on the cement stairs as he went. Hurrying softly down the stairs, Remy's mind was back at work of the events of the previous night. 

_Bobby was tight but Remy had used plenty of lotion so that he didn't harm the other man other than the initial entry. Easing himself gently in, he began kissing Bobby's neck and collarbone while Bobby had managed to remove the hairband from Remy's ponytail and spread the auburn locks to run his fingers through. Once Remy started his pace, Bobby fisted his fingers into Remy's hair as if telling Remy to move slower, in which he complied._

_Remy watched carefully what he was doing and searched for any signs of halting in Bobby's expressions. So far, Bobby had been okay with what was happening but paused when Remy offered to be the guinnea pig. Pulling out of Bobby and readying him, Remy placed himself on the bed and spread his legs for the other man._

_Bobby took a moment to stare at Remy's toned body as the younger man lay there on the bed, waiting. During their previous time of playing and perusing each other's body, he had noticed that Remy really worked on his body to keep it looking well-toned. It was one thing to stare at Remy but it was something else entirely to actually explore his body, hands on. Shaking, Bobby positioned himself above Remy and let Remy guide him into Remy's equally tight channel. "Are you normally a top?"_

_"Oui." Remy flinched at the push in. "Had my experiences at being de bottom, as well." Feeling Bobby's cautiousness, Remy reached up and grabbed Bobby's hips to steady him. "You won't hurt me, cher. And, I don't break easily. Start off slow, den go faster, if you want."_

_Bobby glided in and out of Remy's body like a knife slicing through butter. Once, he had stopped himself from coming and Remy merely hushed him into thinking it was alright with Remy if he came. He had never felt this way with a woman, and his previous girlfriend had never been this inventive in bed to let him try it._

_As Bobby moved inside him, Remy closed his eyes and arched his back while masturbating himself. Bobby watched. Remy looked so angelic as he stroked himself to Bobby's rhythm. He could feel Remy start to tighten up for release and only paced himself faster, wanting to please Remy. When Bobby finally came, he was panting in tune with Remy, who had also come, and kissed the other man in passion._

_The feeling of having someone else inside him gave Remy a new thought as to why Alex never wanted to leave him. Alex had been experienced enough not to be a complete virgin but he had always told Remy that he had no desire to be anything else than Remy's lover. Now that Remy had known what it felt like to have someone inside of him, he knew that he couldn't be reckless with Bobby like he was with Alex. Having casual sex was not something Remy was good at. He had no intention of stringing Bobby along, yet also didn't want to get into a relationship with someone he had just met and screwed in the same night._

The sun was coming up and it was mostly light out when Remy made it home. Closing the front door and setting his keys down on the countre, Remy brewed himself some fresh coffee and headed up to shower and change clothes. Removing his clothes and turning the water on, Remy explored himself for the remains of their play. Dabbing two fingers into his tight entrance, he flinched at the wetness his fingertips had retrieved. With one foot propped up on the toilet lid and the other balancing him, he stared at his slick fingers and thought back to when he would actually let someone else top him. He had never let Alex--.... Alex..... do anything like top him. Scott had wanted to but never got the chance.

He sighed and stepped into the shower, closing the door behind him. The hot spray of the water hit his chest and woke him from his daze. His eyes stared at Alex's picture, on the wall, as he soaped his body and washed all of the slick surfaces. After the third soaping and hard scrubbing of his body, Remy started on his hair. 

His eyes closed as he remembered the feel of Bobby's strong fingers running through and entwining themselves in his long auburn hair. A heavy sigh as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair and reached for the conditioner. His movements slowed and then paused as he found himself lost in the sensations of the night. "Tu es gans la merde, Remy!" Finishing his shower and grabbing the towel from the rack, just outside of the shower, beside the toilet, Remy dried off and slipped on some clean boxers before heading down for some coffee.

Placing the coffee mug on the coaster, on the small table beside the sofa, Remy turned on the television and switched to the news channel for the day's headlines. The air conditioner kicked on and sent a chill through Remy. As the woman newsanchor talked about panics in the Middle East, Remy decided to pay more attention to his coffee than the television. Sipping on the hot liquid, he checked the clock on the cable box before getting up to peer out the window at Logan's driveway, where Logan was loading up the kids to spend a few days with their grandparents.

It was almost 9 o'clock already and he hadn't even had a good night's sleep yet. He yawned and decided to take a short nap before possibly going to the office for a few hours. Turning off the television and setting his cup down on the countre, by the coffee pot, Remy headed upstairs to lay down.

Not bothering to get under the covers, or grab an extra blanket, Remy lay there on his side and stared at the open bathroom door. Curling his legs underneath him and wrapping his arms about his middle, the sobs started. He had gone six months without crying and now, it seems, he couldn't stop himself. Quiet, wet sobs lulled him to sleep as he pictured seeing Alex laying beside him on the bed, soothing him. 

~(*%!~

Remy had slept the entire day away. He would have slept through the night but his shivering woke him at around 8:30. It was dark in the house, save for the glow of the one nightlight, in the hall at the top of the stairs. Sitting up and shivering again, he scoot to the end of the bed and padded over to his long, nine-drawer dresser and dug out an old pair of jeans to wear. He wanted a cigarette and like Hell if he was going to be arrested for indecent exposure while sitting on his front step, smoking. The jeans were more loose than what he remembered but then, he hadn't really been eating right the last couple of months.

Making his way downstairs to grab his smokes and heated up cup of coffee, Remy checked his cell phone that he had placed in a kitchen drawer. No calls but his medication beeper had gone off twice already and was a few minutes off from beeping again for his bedtime pills. He left the phone sitting on the countre, not really caring if it went off or not.

He shook the clear red lighter in his hand and found it empty. Sighing, Remy made his way over to the far left drawer, of the kitchen countre, feeling his way to another lighter and testing it before settling on it. Not bothering to turn on any kind of light, he made his way to the front door and opened it. Pulling the door closed behind him and sitting down on the step, Remy lit up as he stared over at Logan's darkened porch. The light inside the house was on but Logan wasn't visible in the front room.

Clouds overhead rolled in and rumbled softly, as if informing Remy of its pending rain. Looking up, he noticed that, though it was dark, the dark gray clouds had gathered more heavily than that afternoon. He shrugged at the tiny drops that started to fall and only turned his head to look over at his car that still sat in the driveway and took another drag of his smoke.

In an odd spark of thought, Remy had an idea while he finished his smoke and snubbed it out. He stood up and went back inside, emerging from the raising garage door and turning the driveway light on, with a bucket, soap and big yellow sponge. Tossing the sponge down on the ground, in the middle of the garage, next to the bucket, he poured a copius puddle of soap into the bottom of the bucket and then went around to the side of the house for water, out of the garden hose. 

The rain pounded harder as Remy started his task of washing his car. First, he filled the bucket and placed it just inside the garage's cover, and then sprayed the car with the garden hose. He had been about 20 minutes into washing the hood of the car when someone with a deep, gravely voice spoke to him.

"You missed a spot on the roof, Cajun." Logan stopped at the back left taillight. With a cigar in his left hand and an open beerbottle in his right, he skeptically watched as the Cajun carried on his task with hardly an upwards glance to his visitor. 

Remy shrugged and moved to soap his sponge in the soapy water before starting on the other side of the hood. "Dat all you gonna say?"

"Nope." Logan took another sip of his beer and watched Remy scrub the hood of his car. "Washin' it at 3A.M. wasn't cuttin' it? You wanted to get a jump on the 'Nutcase of the Block' Award?" He moved around to the front of the car for a better view of his strange neighbour.

Remy sighed heavily and stopped what he was doing, leaning against the side of the car with his hands. "Jus' tryin to keep it clean, homme." When he finally looked up at Logan, he noted that Logan's expression was one that assumed Remy was falling off his hinges. "No munchkins, huh?"

Logan took another puff of his cigar and offered Remy his beer before answering. "At their grandparents for a few days."

Taking the offered sip and handing it back to Logan, Remy nodded.

"Somethin buggin ya, Cajun?" Logan scrunched his nose as he looked up at the rain that came down in a steady fashion.

Remy didn't look up at his neighbour, only shrugged and offered a short, "non."

Logan sniffed but didn't say anything. He could tell there was some resistance with what Remy was saying, or not saying, but knew better than to press things with his boss's son. He watched as Remy bent over to scrub the right headlight in frustration. Another puff of his cigar and a glance at his almost empty beer, he had an idea. Taking the cigar out of his mouth to finish off the beer, he strolled back over to his own front door and went inside, emerging a moment later with the rest of the six pack of beer and heading over to his odd neighbour's house.

Remy had finished soaping and scrubbing the car and was now rinsing it off, standing at the front of the car.

"You gonna try and dry it now, too?"

Remy moved to one side of the car and continued spraying as he nonchalantly watched Logan head for the open garage with a package under his right arm. "Is dere a point?" He looked up at the rain that continued to fall but had lightened up.

"Guess not." Logan found two folding chairs and set them both up to face the car before sitting down in one and reaching for a beer. "C'mon, have a sit."

Continuing his task of rinsing, he finished and carried the hose back around to the side of the house to shut off the water. When he returned, the hose was gone from his hand and he sat down in the empty chair, next to Logan, with a huff and accepted the offered beer.

 

Continued.


	4. Chapter 4

After a long moment of sitting there, watching the rain pour down, Remy took a sip of his beer and then a deep breath after swallowing. He knew Logan wanted to ask him something personal but Remy wasn’t really wanting to divulge anything. He found himself trying to be as quiet as possible. His brain was screaming for him to be silent but his heart wanted to pour out his soul to a neighbour who only worked for his father.

Taking another sip of his beer, Logan gave a sideways glance over to Remy. “What’cha thinking about?”

“S’nothin.” Remy shrugged and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Closing his eyes, he knew what kind of a conversation might be lingering on the air between them. As he looked back over his shoulder, he sighed inwardly and turned to stare down at the neck of his bottle. “You want to know about de inner workings of Remy, hehn?”

Logan straightened from his slouch and cleared his throat. “Well, some things can remain a mystery. But, why guys? You don’t care for women at all? Sexually, I mean.”

“I care for dem, oui. Just not sexually.”

Logan nodded.

“Poppa has fits about ev’thing I do. Always has since—“ he fell silent and took another sip, a longer sip as he hid a shudder.

Tilting his head, Logan waited for Remy to continue. “Since what?”

Remy sighed and his brow furrowed as he recalled the events of a terrible and lingering night out with his friends. “When I was 22, I went out wit’ a few friends of mine, down in Nawlins. We stopped at a place called, ‘Le Même Coeur.’ Anyway, we had a few drinks an’ met a few guys. Dey went deir ways wit’ deir ‘friends’ and I stayed behind. When I left, dere was one o’ de guys from earlier. He started talking to me an’ I started thinking well-, but he kept talking to me while his friends came up behind me an’ clobbered me. Held me down while one hit me in de head wit’ a beer bottle an’ his friend kicked me in de chest wit’ a knock off boot.”

“How nice. Just when ya meet someone, they stomp all over yer heart with knock-off boots and a beer.” Logan half-joked but understood it was a serious matter.

Sighing more heavily, Remy continued with his memory. “Was in de hospital for a week. After dat, poppa was so uptight about my lifestyle dat he refused to let me be wit’ a man. When I met Alex,” he paused as the name seemed to roll off his tongue with little hesitation. “Poppa wouldn’t have it at all. So, I moved out an’ into my own place.” Raising the bottle to his lips to finish his beer, Remy's phone beeped loudly, indicating that it was time for Remy to take his medication.

Logan's brow furrowed in question as he looked around the dark garage for the source of the beep. "Dryer done?"

"Huh?" Remy looked confused. "Oh, s'time for de meds."

"Ah."

Remy hadn't moved from his seat but finished his beer before giving thought to getting up and turning off the beeping noise that was now getting annoying. Swallowing his last sip, Remy stood up and wavered slightly before moving over to the stool, where his phone sat, and pushing the button to silence the alarm. He stared at the picture on his phone of he and Alex, smiling for the camera as they cuddled.

A crack of thunder rumbled loudly overhead and shook both men to attention. The rain poured down heavily on the roof of the garage, giving Remy's freshly cleaned car an even bigger rinse as it sat out in the driveway. The moonlight reflected off of the clouds the covered the sky, giving them the only light as Remy hadn't wanted to turn on the garage light at all. The flourescant flickering gave him a headache and the incessant humming noise of the bulb drove him crazy on quiet nights.

The beeping started again, indicating that Remy was now late for his medication and forced him to go inside and take care of them. "You uh, wanna come inside?" He turned and looked at Logan, who was now standing from his chair, and waved him over to the door to the house.

Logan nodded and crossed the room to step into the house, that was also dark, and wait for Remy who pushed the button to shut the garage door. To the right, was the kitchen and livingroom, to the left was the small office Remy often used when he didn't want to go to work. As he lead the way to the kitchen, he asked "what kind of meds are they?"

Remy turned the corner into the kitchen, behind Logan, and opened a drawer beside the stove to remove his pillbox. "Dey're for my heart. Poppa drug me to 17 different doctors in de bayou before findin' one, from England, dat could help me. Normal pills don't do nothin fer Remy." Setting his empty beer bottle on the countre beside the sink, Remy reached for a glass from the cupboard and ran some water from the R.O. tap. 

Logan watched, curiously. "Is that beer gonna screw it up?"

"Nah. An' if so, oh well." Taking his pills and replacing the box in the drawer, Remy reset his alarm on his phone for morning and the left it on the countre by the glass of water.

Nodding, Logan leaned against the wall, by the sink, and watched as Remy made his way over to the bar to sit down. "Heart still givin you trouble?"

"Oui an' non. Depends on what part of it is givin de troubles."

~~~~

Remy sighed as he sat down on a stool at the bar, his back to Logan. With head in his hands, Remy could hear but not see what Logan was doing. He flinched a bit as he felt Logan's strong hands on his shoulders, massaging them slowly. Relaxing himself, he leaned back, letting Logan take advantage of his shoulder muscles. A moan escaped him as he closed his eyes. He had been so tense for the past couple of days and admittingly, being this close to Logan, while Logan was massaging his shoulders, he was only becoming more tense than not. 

"You gonna start purrin, next?" Logan contained a low laugh. Logan's fingers buried themselves in Remy's tight shoulders, forcing tiny gasps and whimpers out of the younger man. Rubbing, churning, squeezing into Remy's muscles gave Logan brief snaps of memories to when he used to do the same massage to Jean. Somehow, afterwards, they would both give in to the temptations and wind up in bed together.

Giving in to the joke, Remy purred loudly for Logan and quickly broke into a laugh with the other man.

Logan continued to rub the young man's tense shoulders and swallowed dryly as Remy started to pant and groan out of pain/pleasure in what he was doing. Suddenly, he stopped and patted Remy's left arm to indicate that he was finished. He was about to say something else but the phone, next to sofa, rang and startled both of them from the quiet.

Remy didn't move to answer it. He knew who it was and why they were calling. A minute later, the machine picked up and the caller left a message.

"Remy, c'est poppa. Jus' checkin on ya, mon fils. I know you're home an' you don' have ta answer. T'ought you might be at de cemetary, today. S' Alex's birthday, non?" Jean-Luc paused. "I talk to you later, hehn? Je t'aime, mon fils." After the hang-up, there was an audible silence in the room. Jean-Luc had spoken the name Remy didn't want to hear just then. 

A sigh escaped Remy as he slid off of the stool and trudged over to the machine to erase the message. "I uh, I think I'm gettin' sleepy. Gonna go up an' lie down, ok?" His voice was barely a whisper as he said it over his shoulder to his guest.

"Sure. No problem." Logan took a breath as he watched Remy climb three stairs and pause. "You ok, kid?"

Remy only nodded and glanced over to Logan as the other man stepped towards the front door. "Logan-?"

"Yea?" With his hand on the knob, Logan turned to stare at Remy as the young man had turned to look at him.

Remy swallowed and silently hoped for a positive answer. "Would you stay wit' me, for a while? 'Til I fall asleep, non?"

Logan thought for a moment but nodded and turned to follow Remy up the stairs.

~~~~~

Remy lay on his side of the bed, closest to the bathroom, while Logan sat propped against the headboard, on Alex's side. Laying on his side, curled and facing away from Logan, Remy blinked as he stared at the dark bathroom. The room had been dark, save for a small green nightlight, just inside the bathroom, in case Remy had to get up in the middle of the night.

Logan looked around the mostly dark room and found two turned down picture frames that contained pictures of Remy and Alex together on candid holiday trips. He knew what Remy was going through as it had taken Logan that long to be able to even say Jean's name, after she died. "You feelin' ok, Cajun?" Logan had whispered it so that he didn't scare Remy awake with his voice.

Remy nodded but didn't speak. 

"After Jean, there were nights I'd lie there and swear she was right beside me. Every time I closed my eyes, there she was." Logan found himself staring at the back of Remy's head yet he knew the Cajun was listening. "Her hair was a gorgeous red-- like yours. She would always brush it a thousand times, until it was so soft, you'd swear it was spun silk."

Remy found himself listening to this wonderful woman's story and wishing he could have met her. "She mean de world to you, non?"

"Yea, she did."

Rolling over and sitting up, Remy observed Logan's outline in the darkness. "When I was in de hospital, last year, Remy felt so bad. When I came home, Alex was right dere. Tol' him ta go home an' dat I could take care o' myself but, Alex don't listen. Alex tucked Remy inta bed an' den cuddled him 'til Remy fall asleep. Poppa never understood why Alex come along. Remy de top but, Alex-- he take care of Remy." He found his eyes traveling down Logan's barrell chest to his waist and further down to Logan's strong legs. "When I was five, my broder an' I shared a bed. Had nightmares all de time. My broder would put his arms around me an' rock me ta sleep. Remy felt safe, dere, wit' him. So, when I grow up, Remy wanted ta take care of someone, like my broder did. Make dem feel safe, non?" Bowing his head, Remy concluded, "Now de nightmares are back an' Remy have no one to hold him."

Logan swallowed hard. Opening his arms and waving Remy into them, he held the younger man to him, letting Remy sob softly into his white T-shirt. Shushing him and rubbing his back with one hand while the other stroked Remy's auburn hair, Logan had no clue what to do next. "I'll be here for awhile. I'm not goin' anywhere." He could feel Remy tighten his grip around Logan but loosen up as it was only a gratitude hug. "Why don't you uh-, lay down and try to get some rest. I'll be right here. C'mon, lay down."

Remy rolled onto his right side so that he was facing Logan, who had scoot down to lay beside him. He waited for Logan's head to hit the pillow before snuggling against Logan, once more. With an arm draped over Logan's chest, and Logan's left arm around Remy's back, Remy was starting to feel safe again.

Ten minutes went by and neither had moved. Both were still awake but lying there quietly, not to disturb the other. Remy listened to Logan's heartbeat as his head lay on Logan's left shoulder, and Logan inhaled Remy's sweet-smelling hair. Complete bliss as both men imagined they were with their lovers, instead of the real picture.

"Logan?"

"Hm?"

"Ya like de taste of a woman's kiss?"

Logan thought about the answer to the question and of the question itself. "Yea."

"Why?"

"What do you mean?" Logan looked confused.

Remy pushed himself up to look at Logan. "Never had a fille, before. Dey're so-- fragile, non?"

Clearing his throat, Logan grasped the conversation. "Not all are so fragile. Some want to kiss you as much as you want to kiss them. Jean had soft lips and big green eyes. Her skin was so soft and warm."

"Ya liked makin' love to her?"

Logan nodded. "Yea. Yea, Cajun, I did."

"She have a sweet taste?"

Again, Logan nodded.

Remy lowered his eyes. "Oui, Alex did too. Can still taste his kiss." Raising a hand to his lips, Remy brushed his fingertips over them, as if trying to find Alex's lips on his.

"Why do you like kissin' men?" Logan watched Remy stroke his lips, gently, caressing their softness. In an odd spark, he found it was intriguing.

Remy stopped and turned to look down at Logan. "Ya never kissed a man, before?"

"Nope."

Hesitantly, Remy leaned down and gently pressed his lips against Logan's. A soft, quick kiss that lasted just long enough for Remy to taste the beer on Logan's lips, inhaling the sweet cigar breath from the man beneath him. As he pulled away, his eyes met with Logan's that carried the stare of searching in them. Remy bit his lower lip in quick thought before delving back into another kiss that lasted longer than the first. He could feel Logan's hand reach up to fist in his hair as he closed his eyes. Logan was stronger than Remy imagined and allowed himself to be flipped over and straddled while their lips seemed locked to each other.

With a small pause to catch his breath, Logan was flipped back over to his back as Remy sat atop his hips. What the hell was he doing letting this happen? The Cajun was handsome and even pretty, to a certain degree, but some unseen force seemed to pull at him until he was powerless to stop what Remy was doing. Remy was lifting his shirt and running his hands over Logan's bare, hairy chest. But, Logan didn't want it to stop. He found he was curious as to why Alex took the breakup hard, and why Scott seemed so jealous that he tried to kill Remy to claim him.

Kissing Logan's lips, jawline, collarbone, chest, stomach and finally belt buckle, Remy paused to look up at Logan. He knew what he was doing and was more willing to stop if Logan said so but, he didn't want to. Shame washed over him as their eyes met again. He knew better than to force himself on another person who might not have wanted his affections. Sitting up and wiping his mouth, he apologised. Excusing himself to the bathroom, he stood at the sink and stared at his reflection, asking it for an explanation that he didn't have.

A minute went by and Logan pushed himself up and over to the bathroom. Standing in the doorway, he stared at Remy's back and then down to his back pockets. Strangely, he hadn't been offended by Remy's advances. He had even come to enjoy the Cajun's company and was willing to explore Remy's world as much as Remy was letting him. He cleared his throat. Logan walked over to Remy and placed his arms around Remy's thin but muscled waist, kissing his shoulder. "S'okay, kid. I know you want this."

Remy pressed himself back against Logan and felt more than just taut muscles and body heat. He could feel Logan's firm legnth and moaned in need as Logan's hands slid down to unfasten Remy's jeans. "Wait-- stop."

Logan backed away from Remy.

Remy turned to face his neighbour. "I don't do too well wit' feelins. Not gonna treat dis as just a fling but, need you not to treat dis as a joke, non? Remy can't handle dat." He was sincere, just as he had been with Alex, only Alex turned into something more than what he and Logan might never be.

Nodding, Logan stepped closer to Remy and answered with a soft, warm, inviting kiss.

 

Continued.


	5. Chapter 5

Logan kissed Remy's lips, again, before the young man had time to stop him. He tried his best to reassure the Cajun that this was no game Logan was playing but real, pure emotion. Being out of his element, Logan continued with small kisses that lingered until he felt Remy give into him.

Remy leaned back against the countre and gingerly pulled Logan to him while keeping the kiss. When his hips were pressed back by the weight of Logan's Remy gave a small gasp. His fingers clutched at the fabric of the man's shirt. He wanted this but still the paranoia that he'd step over the invisible line held him back to some degree.

Logan deepened the kiss, keeping himself at bay was becoming the hard part. It was a sense about Remy that the Cajun wanted so much more but wasn't about to take the full reins just yet. He could feel Remy's thin hands on him as his own worked through the silken tresses of Remy's shaggy hair.

Remy couldn't help the tremble in his limbs as he felt the slight pull of Logan's fingers in his hair. He increased the depth of his kiss. Tugging the bigger man ever so much closer. The wide thigh pressed between his, making him growl into the kiss.

Logan raised his hands to guide the shirt material over Remy's head while keeping his mouth busy with Remy's. Once the shirt was off, Logan broke from his lips and started to kiss his way to Remy's toned chest.

Remy's hands wanted to fist in Logan's hair but he didn't. He clutched the counter behind him. His heat pounded in his chest like a caged bird. His skin tingled everywhere Logan's mouth touched. Soft little sighs escaped his lips and he let himself enjoy the sensations Logan was summoning.

He found the desire to touch Logan was overwhelming. His hands drifted from the counter to stroke into Logan's hair. He brought the man's head back up so he could initiate a deep searching kiss. Clever hands traced small patterns over Logan's shoulders. Searching touches trailed down the front of the big man's chest. Nesting in the thatch of hair as Remy sucked at Logan's full bottom lip. He was elated and terrified at the same time. He wanted this to be something to shake the fog from his mind. He wanted this. His fingers drifted lower. He grazed the waist band of the jeans and pulled back in the kiss a little. Remy needed to see Logan's eyes.

Logan was very aware of what Remy was searching for. As his head told him to be cautious, his heart told him to try and open up into something new. After all, he didn't want to force Remy completely away from everyone, more than he already was. Reaching around and pulling Remy's hips to his seemed to create more friction between them as Remy continued his roamings.

Unsure for a moment if he had pushed things too fast Remy brought his hands back up and traced the edges of Logan's collarbones. He liked the press of their groins against each other and made a rather embarrassing moan that was swallowed by Logan. He broke the kiss for air. Their mouths just inches apart, sharing breath. Remy's eyes were wide and glassy as he looked at the man. His wandering fingers came up to trace the line of Logan's jaw and it struck him how different he was from Alex. Alex. The memory ambushed Remy making his chest clench and the pain to well up fast. He gripped his hands into fists and bit back the gasp that wanted out. Unbidden, tears began to slip down his cheeks.

"Hey, hey.. shhh shhh" Logan whispered as he planted soft, light kisses on Remy's lips while wiping the streaking tears that had missed the stopping point of Remy's eyes. "It's okay. Shh." The thunder raged on outside, driving bolts of lightning burst outside the window and flashed tiny slivers of tenderness in each man's eyes the other hadn't seen before.

Remy was startled by the tenderness of the kisses. When Logan made the comforting sounds it seemed to break through the wall Remy was trying to scale. His hand looped around Logan's neck. He pressed his whole body to Logan's and let out a breathy sound. "Want to feel something other then de pain." he whispered and then turned his face to press his lips to Logan's ear. "Help me feel dat, please?" The question was spoke with such a soul deep need.

Logan stared intently into Remy's eyes for the longest moment and then nodded. He was forced to admit to himself that he needed something to numb the pain, as well. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he found himself staring at his reflection, over Remy's shoulder and asking himself if what he was doing was right. Something in the depth of his soul told him to let it go. Taking a breath and then a daring hand to place it on Remy's denimed hardness, he answered, "this?"

The response was instant. Remy's teeth clamped on his own bottom lip and he tilted his head back. "Uhhh...Dat's a good start." he gasped and then found his hands once again drifting down Logan's torso. He looped his fingers in the loops on Logan's jeans and tugged at them. I wanted to feel Logan's skin on his. The tugging made them bump together and pin Logan's hand between their hardened lengths. The sensation buzzed up Remy's spine and he moaned in a very vulnerable manner. His skin flushed with arousal and he sought Logan's mouth with his for more deep but harder kisses.

Logan gave a small moan in the joining but quickly summed the situation. Working his hand to unfasten his own jeans so that he could slither out of the rest of his clothing, he paused. "You uh- got some jelly or somethin--? Not so sure this'll be a slippery venture."

Remy smirked a little at the question. He let his eyes roam over Logan's bare skin, breath hitched a little. "Yeah..." he said and then grasped Logan's hands. "Let's go back in there." he whispered softly and pressed a quick kiss to Logan's cheek. Remy walked backwards through the open door leading Logan after him. His eyes were bright with desire. When they reached the bed he let go and moved to remove his own remaining clothing. Once bare Remy stepped up close to Logan and just felt the friction of their bare skin rubbing together. He made a very deep sound in his throat.

Remy grasped his hands to Logan's hips and ground them against his. They both let out delighted sounds. He brought his mouth to the hollow of Logan's throat. His tongue made small circles as he tasted the skin. Salt and a pleasant musk tingles his senses. He let his mouth wander down the slope of shoulder. His white teeth sank into the skin. He tickled the sink between his jaws with his tongue making Logan growl at the feeling. He wanted to taste more. "Lay back on de bed." Remy said his voice husky and low. He pressed Logan back to the bed.

Logan sidestepped his way over to the side of the bed and sat down. His first reaction was to hesitate but reluctantly, he obliged. He watched Remy closely at what the younger man was doing.

Remy walked over to stand before Logan. His fingers cupped the older man's face. He tipped it up to hold Logan's gaze. "Want to explore you." he said and straddled Logan's lap. He sat on the firm lap, hands braced on the broad shoulders as he pressed soft licking kisses to the man's neck sliding down to his chest. He nuzzled into the soft hair finding one tiny pebbled nipple and catching it in his teeth. He liked the way Logan hissed. He moved to the other and repeated the action. Lifting his head he sucked a hard kiss from the big man. 

Logan moaned and grabbed Remy's bare hips. He wanted to see Remy's full naked body but couldn't bring himself to look while Remy was atop him. He felt his own erection growing harder, more demanding. Was Remy teasing him to see how far he could push Logan? Or was he getting himself worked up over his own curiosity? His hands slid up the thin sides to Remy's ribcage and let his thumbs flick tiny circles into Remy's pert nipples, getting a much enjoyable rise out of the younger man.

Remy arched a bit, making their hardening lengths brush together. He shivered with arousal and had to suck in a deep breath. "Lay back." he whispered pressing his forehead to Logan's. Remy wanted to let his mouth roam some more. He was shaking a little, the nerves were returning and he couldn't believe he was acting like an untried teenager.

Logan obliged but watched Remy as he explored Logan's body, evenly. He silently wondered to himself of how Remy treated his solid lovers and not just a "so-called first time." He knew Remy was a top but how far did Remy take the control game? Logan found himself demanding that he be patient with Remy. A sharp inhale as he closed his eyes and felt Remy's mouth on his bare skin again.

Remy knelt nest to Logan looking him over for a beat before leaning down to brace his hand on either side of the man's torso. His lips and tongue painted wet trails on Logan's belly. he pushed his nose into the flesh and breathed Logan in. One talented hands rubbed down the ladder of Logan's side. Fingertips dancing along the muscles and contours. He leaned back again and caught looked at Logan's face as he ran one finger down the length of the engorged shaft. He grinned when it twitched at his touch. Grasping the member in a loose hold he stroked slowly. Getting a feel for his new lover's length.

Logan hissed at the bruntness of the touch. His voice retreated from his throat and kept him from speaking as he continued to watch as Remy's explored. A hand cupped the back of Remy's neck as he tried not to let his nerves over take him. It had been a long time for someone else to lie with him and stroke him like a lover would. Twitching a grin, his eyes locked onto Remy's and invited the youth to continue. An inhale and a small shiver pressed him deeper into the bed.

Emboldened by the small smile and the hand on his neck, Remy moved to slide further down Logan's body. He kept his hand moving in the slow lazy manner. His kisses falling on the man's hip and then down his thigh. He turned to press his cheek to the warm skin. He watched his hands moving on the shaft and he licked his lips. Taking a deep breath he moved quickly. He littered the head with tiny kisses. Remy thrilled at the taste and how Logan groaned. He knew he was driving the man a little crazy with his slow approach. Giving in and taking the length into his mouth he moved with a steady bobbing. He brought the older man to a fully ridged state quickly.

Logan groaned, loudly. "Gawd, Cajun!" Arching his hips up to meet Remy's warm mouth, he found it was a knee-jerk reaction to what Remy's obvious talents were, aside from being quite the handsome young man. Stars shot from behind Logan's closed eyes and he inhaled sharply to gain some semblance. Remy certainly knew what he was doing and was not shy about getting to the business end of things. Relaxing himself, he found it was a fight between Remy sucking and Logan coming. It was a trick he had thought was well-covered.

Remy almost got lost in the pleasure of his action. He let his hands moved up and down Logan's thighs, soothing the trembling muscles. He took pity on the man and slowly let the length slip from his lips. Looking up at Logan, he gave a small smirk before slipping to lay beside him. Long fingered hands swirled in comforting touches as he pressed a kiss to Logan's mouth. Nipping at the bottom lip he panted a little. He was fully aroused by their exploration and he wanted to feel more. This simple exchange of pleasure was pushing the darkness from his mind. He stroked his fingers along Logan's mouth and whispered softly. "In the bed side drawer, there is a bottle of slick." His eyes shined with desire and lust.

Logan raised his left hand and grabbed the knob to open the drawer. "You got protection, too?"

Remy cocked his head and tweaked one of Logan's nipples. "Course I do." he said nodding at the drawer. "In der, but...." he held his breath and then shook his head. 'Nevermind. Dey in the drawer." he replied and lowered his head to kiss at Logan's shoulder.

Logan quirked with question but reached into the drawer and pulled out a small tube and what felt like thin wrappers. Handing them to Remy, Logan fought to see clearly in the dark. He pushed himself to sit up and examine the handful more closely. "Cherry flavoured, huh?" He smirked at the pile and then glanced up to Remy's expression.

The younger man was still for a moment and then he seemed to shake something off his shoulders. "Yeah..." he said. The flavor was something Alex liked them to use. Looking at the items he quirked his lips and held out his hand. "Want me to help you?" he asked knowing Logan was still all at sea about just what to do. He was prepared to do the technical stuff in order for them to get on with the good stuff. "I know you not the type of man to be topped." he said softly and pushed a lock of hair behind his ear. "Not usually my position either, but I want to be with you..." he said pressing his head back to the pillows feeling strangle exposed suddenly.

Logan's eyes were able to focus on a few images in the dark but not completely. He did realise that what he had also handed Remy were not condoms at all but pictures. Pictures of Remy and-- clearing his throat in an innocent attempt, he reached for the pile to correct his mistake. "Sorry, didn't reach far enough." Logan swallowed and waited for Remy to release the pile so that he could find what he was looking for. He hoped his small mistake didn't kill the mood.

Remy colored and was glad for the dimness. "S'ok." he said and took a very deep breath. His chest was trying to clamp down again, his neck felt like it was trapped in a vice. He looked at Logan just making him out in the dark. "Come on back over here," he said trying to cover the welter of emotions the pictures brought up. He didn't want to feel the pain. Remy wanted to feel Logan. He was laying on his back, he held out his hand in offering. The rousing of Alex's memory made Remy feel he was pushing Logan too hard. He chewed his lip as he waited for the man to take his hand.

Sniffing the change of tone in the air, Logan casually slid his hand into Remy's.

Remy wanted to feel Logan's body against him. "Pour some of the gel on your fingers," he cooed and his heart rate picked up. He was more than a little nervous about this but he couldn't say he didn't want it. "Think it best if we lay on our side?" he asked drawing Logan to him and snuffling in the crook of his neck.

"Sure." Logan did as instructed. He found that the gel in his hand was chilly with the air of the air conditioner. Awaiting further instruction, he let Remy guide him into position.

Remy slithered off Logan and settled his long limbs on the bed next to him. He rolled onto his side with his back to Logan. Looking over his shoulder he smiled softly. "Come closer, cher." he whispered. He bent his top resting leg and drew it up. His body more accessible to Logan in this position. "Just go slow, need to stretch me before I can take dat anaconda you got," he joked, trying to lighten the damper the photos had put on his boldness.

Logan looked down and admired the firm backside Remy offered him. Playing with the gel on his fingers, Logan placed a cool fingertip on Remy's crack and pressed his finger deeper until he pushed at the tight ring. His middle finger pressed gingerly into the opening and paused at the first knuckle. "Hurtin' ya?" he whispered over Remy's pale shoulder as he felt the younger man tense at the entry.

"Non, just give me a second." Remy said breathing slowly and willing his body not to fight the probing. He reached back to thread his fingers in Logan's hair. "Keep going." he urged. He arched his lower back lifting his bottom to give Logan more easy for his preparations. "Been a very long time since Remy did dis," he said softly and the turned to kiss the big man's jaw. He let out a high pitch moan when Logan's finger slipped deeper.

Logan kissed the shoulder he looked over and slowly moved the finger in and out of Remy before gently adding the second. "Haven't made love in four years so, yer one up on me." Logan suddenly found himself getting eager. Planting his fingers deep and then removing them, Logan tore open the wrapper with his mouth before sliding the neon blue condom over his length with the same slick fingers. Taking the tube and slipping it into the crack, Logan gave it a squeeze into the slickened entrance.

Remy shivered at the rush of cool gel and he gasped a little. He turned his head as far as he could to suck a deep sideways kiss from Logan's mouth. "Want to feel you," he whispered. When Logan's eagerness became contagious Remy bucked his hips back a little. "Take me, Chere," he said and turned his head back to fist one hand under the pillow his head rested on. He took a deep breath as Logan pressed into him. The burn was sharp and took his breath. He panicked for a moment before unclenching his muscles. When the thickness went all the way in, Remy cried out and was blinded by the fullness. Logan wasn't small by any means. He Breathed through the burn until is subsided to a throbbing. His free hand was fisted in the sheets with a hard grip.

Logan inched his way in slowly, reaching over the thin, heaving body to entwine his fingers with Remy's. A light rhythm started and Logan found it was a tight squeeze, tighter than most virgins he had, in his youth. "Damn, yer tight." Hoping the condom didn't rip, Logan pulled himself to the brink of exiting and paused with only the tip inside Remy. "Is uh- this why you prefer bein' on top?" He hoped it didn't sound as crude as it had to him but he had wondered why Remy chose to be the masculine of the lovers.

Remy was beginning to make breathy panting sounds. "Think it's my need to be in control," he gasped out. His fingers tightened on Logan's and he willed his inner muscles. "Have a stubborn streak a mile wide," he joked and then let out a low moan. The pace Logan was giving him was slowly building the heat between them. He felt a wave of emotions bubbling up and he sucked in a deep breath. His eyes pricked with tears that he wouldn't let fall. "Just want to feel something, want to feel you," he whispered and thrust his small hips back against Logan's next plunge sending the man deeper into his body.

Logan smirked at the push back, into Remy. Lifting the hand that was entwined with Remy's, Logan moved them down to snare Remy's forgotten hardness. Soft but tense strokes along the shaft while he deepened his rhythm inside Remy was driving more than Remy wild with passion. He wasn't sure how long he could hold out, or if Remy would accept his release inside him. He had felt a little guilty wanting to release inside another man but went with the motions until Remy said otherwise.

Remy's head pressed back into Logan's shoulder as he let the sounds flow from his lips. He was getting close. This slow and deep lovemaking was robbing him of his ability to think clearly. He moved with the thrusts and strokes, caught between the two ends of pleasure. "Uhhhh Logan..." he moaned and clenched his teeth. "Harder." he grit out between his teeth. He wanted the deep strokes to bring them both to that peak. "Want to feel you cum." he grunted as Logan's inward thrust went deeper than any had so far.

Logan complied with the request and forced his hips deeper to the point of pelvicbone to tailbone. Grabbing Remy tighter, he stroked with intensity as they paced rhythmically. Logan felt himself break into sweat and found it increasingly hard to contain himself.

"I want to feel you let go, Chere." Remy gasped and his body clenched. He was so close. His belly was tightening and he scrunched his eyes closed. He made long vowel sounds as his climax loomed big and bright just out of reach. "Uh Logan, can feel you all through me..." he stammered out and then tightened his muscles intentionally. He wanted to give Logan the best orgasm he could. Hoping that maybe, just maybe the older man would enjoy it enough to try again. His heart fully in the act, Remy pushed back harder trying to milk the man's release from him with his own tight clenching sheath.

The pressure and strength of Remy's muscles around him was becoming harder to dodge. Joining their hips one last time, Logan couldn't hold back any longer. Audibly, he moaned in passion as his eyes slid closed and he pants as thick, hot fluid left him and filled the tight body he was inside. A cold sweat spread over their bodies as Logan tipped his head and kissed the shoulder in slight apology for squeezing Remy with crushing grip. He found himself still coming inside the younger man as Remy was still coming in their hands. A heavy sigh as he silently hoped it was pleasurable for Remy. He knew it was for him, whether or not he would admit it aloud.

Remy was blinded by the orgasm. He thought he might have moaned out Logan's name but he couldn't be sure. He drew deep breaths, trying to blink his vision back. When he could think straight again he looked over his shoulder and clenched the softening length still inside him. "Thank you, Logan," he whispered his voice breaking a little. "You shared dis with me and now I think I can feel my heart beating again," he confessed and then as if realizing what he said he turned his face back to the pillow and reached for the tissue box to clean their hands. As he gently wiped Logan's hand clean he felt the man slip from his body. He had a slightly empty pang in his stomach but he brushed it off.

It took a full minute for Logan to acknowledge his surroundings and who was speaking to him. Letting Remy finish cleaning himself, Logan snuggled down and drew Remy close to him, the chill sending shivers up and down his body.

Remy hadn't expected the cuddling. It warmed his heart, He noticed Logan's shivering and reached to drew the blanket over them. With the big man spooning him from behind Remy felt protected and safe. It was a relief. He could finally relax as he hadn't in far too long.

~*(%!~

Logan slipped into his bed just before dawn arose. He settled down, into his bed and had just closed his eyes when his alarm went off. "Shit." With a sigh, he rolled over and slapped it off. He didn't have to be at work until the afternoon so, he figured he would catch up on sleep. He had spent the night before watching Remy sleep and wondering why he couldn't look away. Tossing and turning, Logan had a hard time getting the previous night's events out of his mind and an even harder time calming his waking manhood.

Every breathe in was like inhaling Remy's spicy scent and every exhale was spending a pant of movement in and out of Remy's tight body. His hands sweat with the feel of the soft skin of the man beneath him and his lips felt the sweet taste of Remy's. Groaning in protest, Logan rolled over, onto his stomach and buried his head under the pillow as the sun peeked through the heavy curtains.

When sleep finally took him, all Logan could dream about was being with Remy, alone in his bedroom but with someone in the shadows, watching. As much as he and Remy tried to be romantic, both felt they were being watched. Though, neither felt scrutinised, it made Logan uncomfortable nonetheless. Sighing and turning around, Logan saw the glow of the eyes and felt the heat of the stare but no face to go with it. He removed himself from the bed and stood beside it, calling into the darkness for the voyeur to show themselves. When none came forward, Logan offered a step towards them, noting the glowing eyes didn't move at all.

Logan looked back at Remy but found Remy was calling him back to bed with a seductive tone. When he looked back at the glowing eyes, they were closer to the end of the bed but the eyes remained the only thing Remy and Logan saw. Logan wondered if Remy saw the eyes at all being that he paid no attention to them, other than the initial introduction to them. "Don't you see them? Starin ' right at us."

Remy smiled and nodded. 

Logan was thoroughly confused in what to do. When he tried to move any closer to the dark figure, he found he couldn't budge. The only direction he could move in was towards Remy and sleepily doing so while removing his clothing and crawling into bed to make love. The watching eyes stayed in the back of his mind, along with the gradual change of sceneries from Remy's bedroom to a white, fluffy cloud to Logan's bedroom. 

Logan's eyes shot open and flinched at the bright afternoon sunlight that streamed into his room. Sitting up, he searched his bed for any sign of Remy or the watching eyes but found none. Nothing. Not even a single auburn thread of hair Logan felt so comfortable holding in his hands. Was it a dream, or was someone playing a trick on him? It never once dawned on him who the eyes were and why were they pushing him towards Remy? 

It was time to get up and get moving to go to work or he would be late.

 

TBC.


	6. Chapter 6

The rain hadn't stopped for three days. The storms had come and gone so many times that they seemed to blend together. Large, wet drops pounded against the tall windows of Remy's office as the thunder shook them against their foundations. He had grown tired of staring out and seeing thunder, lightning and rain everywhere he looked. After two weeks of he and Logan's first encounter, Remy was starting to second guess himself. Remy had started to really get into sporatic few times that they spent together since but each time to part left him feeling dirty and he wondered why. 

Leaning against the side of his desk, Remy slid his hands into his black khaki pockets and watched the drops spatter against the darkness of the nighttime window. Since Jean-Luc was away on business, Remy was given the task of running the company. His father had been gone a week so far and Remy found himself spending more and more time in the boss' office. The runner lights Jean-Luc had decoratively placed along the edges of the ceiling were now the only dim lights Remy used at night to meandre through necessary files, at night.

Everyone in the office had left for home, already, all except he and the few security guards. Remy gave a long, drawn out sigh and pushed himself off of the desk to finish his work and head home. The rest of his time at the office he was on auto-pilot, finishing paperwork, emailing plans for buildings, calling reps, organising files for morning meetings and finally, shutting down his computer and locking the office door behind him as he left.

The long lift ride to the parking floor he was on was unbearably quiet with no one to share the car with, and the extra steps from the lift to the car became jokingly increasing as his feet started to hurt in his loafers. Remy's shoulders ached and hunched by his opening the door and sitting down in the driver's seat. Closing the door with a sigh and starting the engine, Remy pulled out of his space and headed home. 

As he drove through the dark streets Remy recapped his evening plans, in his head and wished they were already over and done with. In a nutshell, go home to an empty house, have a boring PB&J, watch a little television, play a dirty film and then go to bed; alone. One could set their watch to Remy's activities. 

The car hummed softly as he pulled into the drive and then the garage. Shutting the engine off, he sat there for a few minutes to collect himself before going inside. When he did finally get out of his car, Remy happened to glance across the street and see Logan just pulling in from work. Remy waved, casually, and made his way over to his mailbox to collect the day's mail as Logan made his way over to say hello.

"Workin late, again, huh?" Logan stopped a few steps away and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, with the keys to his vehicle.

Remy shrugged, "Yea, got meetings all day tomorrow. Have to be ready." Checking his watch, Remy noted that it was well after 10:30. "You don't have munchkins, tonight?"

"Hm?" Logan had noticed that the rain stopped and had barely heard the question Remy asked. "I got off early and dropped Matt off at his friend's, for the weekend. Steph has a study date with a girl from class so, she won't be home until tomorrow.

Nodding nonchalantly, Remy looked up at the sky, too, and asked Logan in for a drink.

"Sure."

~~~~~~~~~

Remy poured two tumblers of Scotch and carried both glasses back into the living room, where Logan had sat down on the sofa. Handing one to Logan and sipping his drink before sitting down on the other end of the sofa, Remy cleared his throat and asked how the kids were doing.

"Pretty good. Matt's grades are gettin better from Bobby helpin him. Steph is already lookin at Universities and she still has a few years to go in High School." Logan was beaming about his two kids. He had always enjoyed talking about them, when asked, and now that they were finally wanting to become something of themselves, Logan was estatic.

Nodding again and taking another sip of his drink, Remy swallowed and turned, on his cushion, to face Logan. "Logan, uh-, what dis you think about the first time we--?"

"We what?"

Remy wondered if he should finish his statement. The fact that Logan was unwilling to remember anything of what they had shared, weeks prior, was speaking volumes to his consciousness. Sighing, he took the last gulp of his drink and turned away to stand up and go get another glassful. "Ferget it."

Logan reached forward and grabbed Remy's free arm and halted the young man from turning away from him. "No, tell me. The first time we what?"

Setting his empty glass down on the floor, in front of the sofa, Remy scoot closer to Logan and licked his dry lips in attempt to gather his thoughts. "You forgot about de night we spent together?"

"Ah. That's what's buggin ya." Logan released Remy's arm and leaned back into the cushions. "No, Cajun, I haven't forgot."

Remy cleared his throat. "Den, why haven't you said anythin'? You just went on like it was nothin' and left me ta feel dirty."

Shaking his head and looking Remy in the eye, Logan tried to remain calm from what he really felt. "No, LeBeau. I didn't just forget. I've been thinkin about that night ever since it happened but, I have a job to do and kids to take care of. I can't just drop everything and spend every waking hour with you just because we had a night together."

"Not asking dat of you." Remy bit his lower lip and slowly eased forward to straddle Logan's lap, facing him. "Alex drove me nuts when he demanded my attention all de time. But wit' you, it's a pulsin dat draws me to you. S' a tinglin in my stomach dat just won't stop when you're wit' me." Remy raised his hands to flatten them against Logan's hard chest, feeling his heart beat faster with every second Remy caressed him.

Logan placed his own hands against Remy's white pressed white shirt, only he used it to pause the younger man. "It's probably just hunger pains."

Remy nodded and quickly closed the gap between them, claiming Logan's mouth before the other man could detour the moment again. Though Logan was struggling, Remy eventually won out and the kiss deepened. Their tongues entangled and their hands groped at each other's clothing, rubbing their palms along the materials covering their hard chests. Taking the next step, Remy slipped his fingers to undo the buttons on Logan's workshirt. 

Logan could feel the material being spread off of his chest and grabbed Remy's wrists before they moved from his shirt to his belt buckle. "Wait. Let's go upstairs," he whispered and Remy nodded, leading the way up to Remy's bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~

 

Remy lay there for a while just being quiet. He was trying to sort out his thoughts and feelings. His fingers curled around the hand on his chest. He could feel the rhythmic beating of Logan's heart against his back. After a good while he turned his head and gave Logan a half smile. "Thought dat was pretty wonderful." he said softly. Though his heart clenched a bit as he felt it was only partly true.

Logan only nodded and smiled his answer. "Try and get some rest, Cajun. You look pretty worn out." Logan clutched the young, naked and sweat-dampened body closer as he also closed his eyes for a small rest.

Remy knew when he was being shushed. He gave a small sigh and went to move Logan's arm. "Tink I'm gonna take a shower." he said, trying to keep the cool tone in his voice. He didn't really know why he was suddenly so put off, but he was. Somehow he got the feeling that Logan was regretting the incredible sex they had just shared. That hurt.

Sitting up, Logan caged the younger man between his arms, planting a hand on either side of Remy, "somethin' wrong, Cajun?" He hadn't meant for his words to sound as harsh as they did but he knew Remy wouldn't relax if Logan had just gotten up and left after their bonding session.

Remy looked at the big man and lifted his chin. "I'm not stupid, Logan," he said and licked his lips slowly. "I don't need to be coddled. Told you, dis isn't a joke to me." he looked Logan dead in the eye, daring him to try and lie.

"I ain't jokin, Cajun." Logan shifted above him and steadied his gaze as another flash of lightning lit up the room in a spark of white. "Look, we've both been through the loss. Yer still mopin about Alex, I know it. I can see it in your expression." He paused and sucked in a breath before continuing with his side of the story. "Jean was my wife for a lot of years before she was taken from me. They both meant something to us that we shouldn't really transpose onto another, without deep thought. That's all I'm sayin."

Remy swallowed the thickness in his throat. "Yeah, course. You are right, Logan." He pressed his palms to the man's shoulders. He bit back the other hurtful words that wanted to bubble up. He knew they were because Logan's words hit too close to the truth.

"Go rinse off. Take a long hot bath and get your head straight. We'll talk in the mornin, okay?" Letting Remy up and turning to gather his own clothing, he watched Remy out of the corner of his eye, incase Remy had second thoughts.

Sighing deeply he looked at Logan gathering his clothes. "Didn't mean you had to go. But I won't stop you," he said feeling a bit out of whack. Maybe he needed a drink. He wasn't sure what was upsetting him more. That Logan was giving every sign of thanks but no thanks or the fact that he felt like he had cheated on his dead lover. He curled on his side and stared out at the storm.

"Look, I've got to work early in the mornin, but I should be off by about 10. Why don't ya stop over an' I'll fix ya some breakfast. That'll give us both a chance to 'clear our heads' so to speak." Logan sat on the edge of the bed and slid on his jeans, facing away from Remy. 

"Kay." Remy said and got up. He walked across the room, heedless of his nudity and stopped at the bathroom door. "Talk to you later then." he said and closed the door behind him. Leaning against the wood he sucked in a deep breath and bit his lip. What was he doing? What did he really think Logan was going to do? "You fool, Remy LeBeau, Stop setting yourself up for heartbreak," he said bitterly and pushed off the door. Stepping into the shower he saw Alex's picture and the pain welled up making him stifle a sob.

Remy stood under the spray and let the emotions bubble out for a few moments. "Desole, Alex, I don't know what I was thinking," he whispered and wrapped his arms around his stomach. He could see the boy's face so clearly when he closed his eyes. He tried to picture the way his lover would smile and lean in to kiss him. 

_"You know I can't stay mad at you Remy."_ Dream Alex said and he sobbed a little harder. 

"Sorry Cher. I miss you so much," he gasped leaning his head against the wall letting the water rush down in a flood, washing away the tears. Alex would hold him close and kiss his lips. Soothe the fears and give him such affection. He could pretend it hadn't happened. When he talked to Logan later, he could take them back to before. Before he was weak and let them cross a line they Shouldn't have. A line Logan clearly wished they had respected. He bit his lips together and took a shuddering breath. "Wish you were here wit me Cher." Remy cried softly. 

_"But I am always with you, Rem. You just have to feel me."_ Alex said and wrapped his arms around Remy from behind. 

The comfort in that was delicious and Remy indulged. He stayed there, eyes closed, arms around himself as he imagined it was Alex. The water began to run cold, telling him he had been too long in the shower. Turning off the spray, he got out and wrapped a towel around himself. Going into the bedroom he stripped off the sheets an threw the bedspread over the bare mattress before climbing up and curling against the pillows. He imagined Alex there stroking his body and whispering sweet dirty things. In his mind's eye he could have the Alex as he saw him through the lens of love. Perfect and affectionate and attentive. No temper, no willfulness no flaws. Just perfect.

Continued.


	7. Chapter 7

Remy ran back and forth from the tan duffel bag on his bed to his closet and dresser, gathering camping clothes and repelling ropes for a camping trip he and a few friends had planned for a few weeks. Torn tight jeans and his favourite Atlanta Braves jersey he threw on in all the shuffle. It was supposed to be a holiday that Jean-Luc forced him to take but Remy ended up wanting to go, instead. His last step, before leaving the house, was to tie his clean white sneakers and hand over the keys to Logan to bring in the mail for him. He had already gone over everything about the house, in his head, and felt he hadn't forgotten anything. He kept the A/C running and turned off his alarm. The back lawn had been watered and the hose had been coiled and set by the back gate, on the left side of the house.

Standing up from sitting on the bed, tieing his shoes, Remy took a deep breath and turned to grab his bag before heading down the stairs to greet Logan on the doorstep. He hummed to himself and hurried down the stairs as the bell chimed again. Opening the door, he had expected to see Logan but saw his camping buddy instead. "Hey, Jamie! Yer early, mon brave. Just let me take de key over to de neighbour, den we go. Ca va?" He smiled and hugged his friend as he glanced across the street to see Logan opening his front door and starting over. 

Jamie nodded and greeted his friend as he moved aside to let Remy toss his bag out, onto the front walk. "No problem, Spicy! Truck's all gassed and ready to go, just need to stop and get the liquids!" He followed Remy, carrying Remy's bag and tossing it into the back of the truck as the neighbour began walking up to meet them.

Logan paused at the bottom of his porch to light his cigar and take a few puffs before advancing over to Remy. He bit on the thick barrel of the cigar as he walked calmly over to the edge of the driveway where Remy and his friend now stood. Silently sizing the friend up, Logan wondered what kind of camping trip Remy was going on. "Hey there! All ready for your vacation?" With a warm smile, Logan met the two men at the tailgate of the old '74 blue Ford pickup. 

Remy smiled and threw his arm around his friend as he introduced the two men. "Logan, dis is Jamie. Jamie is de one who introduced me to Alex." Remy smiled and turned back to his friend to expand about his neighbour that he took a liking to, "Logan works for my father, too. An' also, he looks after me."

Jamie Jacobs, a short-haired blond with hazel eyes and an infectious smile nodded and held out a hand to shake. "Pleased to meet ya, Logan. Remy's a handful, isn't he?" He was almost as tall as Remy but not as short as Logan. His body tone was very muscular for a 29-year-old man from deep Kentucky. He was clearly dressed for a week of rock climbing in Devil's Den. With a baby-faced smile and a careful wink, he promised the neighbour that he would keep strict guard over Remy and the four other individuals that were joining them.

"I'll hold you to it. Have fun." Logan grinned and gave a firm handshake to let Jamie know he wasn't kidding. He was glad that Remy was finally getting out of the house with people his own age and was actually taking a liking to his old hobbies, such as rock climbing and camp outs. As Remy handed over the key, the two men exchanged looks and hopeful nods about the coming holiday. Logan didn't think he had ever seen Remy so excited since the young Cajun moved in.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to wash your car at three in the morning so, it won't miss you too much." Logan joked.

Remy caught the chide and laughed as he and Jamie moved to get into the truck. "You gonna wax it, too?"

"Don't push it, kid." Logan shook his head, still smiling. He watched the two get into the truck and patted the tailgate in acknowledgement of their departure. He was still standing in the middle of the roadway and staring at where the truck had turned the corner when Matt called for his attention, from the porch. Taking another puff on his cigar, Logan heard his name being called and started back towards his porch, silently hoping that Remy would have more fun than what he could offer the younger man.

"Bye!" Remy waved happily from the passenger side of the truck as it pulled away from the driveway and continued down the street to the intersection.

~~~~~~~~~~

Already three nights had passed and the group was beginning to tire of the chill of night and sprinkles that seemed to follow them everywhere. Remy wondered if the rain was following only him. It was somewhere between his fourth and sixth beer that Remy began to think deeply about his possible relationship with Logan. Perhaps he was thinking too hard, or perhaps he wasn't thinking hard enough. Either way, no matter how he looked at it, the problem never seemed to end with Remy and Logan being together. He sat on a rock, just outside of a small indent of rock, atop the mountain, and thought. His eyes had been fixed to the fire and his ears were listening to the words of the long talks he and Logan had while sitting in Remy's garage, on high-backed patio chairs with hard canvas seats. With every sip he took, he lost himself more and more in the conversations in his head that he hadn't heard Jamie and the other group members calling him into the indent due to the pouring rain.

Taking the last gulp of beer, Remy stood up and swayed, dizzy from the alcohol, yawned and then staggered over to his buddies. As he sat down, Remy fell into the arms of Jamie, landing squarely with his back against Jamie's chest. He felt big strong arms wrap around him and hold him tight as all five of them huddled together and watched the rain put out the fire in the downpour.

Brian Marx, Jamie's best friend and only straight guy in the group had asked if his fiancee could join them but she was unable to make it the first night. Brian was also well-toned and had gorgeous coffee coloured skin that blended well with his fiancee's lighter tone. Brown eyes so big and soft, like a puppy's, and a smile that filled a room with boisterous laughter to match seemed to make even the worst start of fun trips better. He had informed her of the others' sexual standings and she was fine with that. what worried both Brian and his fiancee was, how the other boys would take having a woman in their group when night came. Since this was the second night, Brian and his fiancee snuggled down in a makeshift tent, at the back of the inset of rock, while the other two couples snuggled into their own crevices.

Letting Jamie take advantage of Remy with spreading kisses across his neck and shoulders, Remy's eyes fixed contently on the blue canvas that hid Brian and Jhennifur, his fiancee. He found himself listening to their straight sex and wondering what it must have been like for Logan to make love to Jean, before she died. Remy had become so enraptured with his thoughts that he hadn't noticed his silent humming and the feel of Jamie sliding his free hand under Remy's shirt. 

"Is it making you hot?" Jamie's whisper crept into Remy's right ear, making him smile as Remy nodded and turned around to passionately kiss him. His hands lifted Remy's shirt and felt the soft skin underneath and then travelled down to the fastenings on Remy's jeans, loosening them as Remy continued to kiss as well as unfasten Jamie's clothes. 

Remy paused a moment to slip his windbreaker off and use it as a cover as he "massaged" Jamie's hardness with his tongue. He smiled as Jamie moaned and stroked his hair, under the jacket. The low moans of Jamie and the two other couples was making Remy both sick and really excited. Finishing his task, Remy sat up and gave a nervous smile before mumbling that he had to relieve himself and staggered to his feet, stumbling out of the shelter. He made it to the small trail that lead down to the camp and took a right, mingling with a handful of young trees. He was readily relieving himself of the beers he had tossed back when Jamie's hands grabbed his waist as the rest of Jamie's hot body pressed against Remy's. "Cher, I really gotta go."

Jamie giggled and reached around to help. "I know. I'm helpin' ya. Hurry up, huh? I'm gettin' cold waitin' for you." He massaged the base of Remy's appendage as Remy continued to relieve himself as well as resuming kissing Remy's neck and left shoulder. "I think we're alone up here. How about a quickie?"

Finishing his peeing, Remy sighed with a tired yawn and didn't have the energy or want to say "no" so he let Jamie slide the denim pants from his hips and give a small moan of approval as Remy wasn't wearing any underwear. Bracing himself against the adolescent tree, Remy gasped as Jamie sank to his knees and pushed his wet tongue between two firm cheeks. He looked past the tree and could see the inset of rock where the rest of the group had camped and was relieved to find it dark and the people inside, asleep or doing their own sexual explorations. Remy gripped the brown, barky trunk tighter as Jamie's tongue tip slipped in and out of Remy's tight entrance. He hummed and gasped and bent over more to make himself more accessible to Jamie but as he did, he whispered the name "Logan" under his breath.

Jamie hadn't heard the first three times of Remy speaking his neighbour's name but once the sex really started, his ears filtered and counted every time Remy said the name. He wasn't deterred as he had always really wanted Remy and was secretly pining for Remy when he and Alex were still an item. Sex with Remy was quickly taking the place of other useless hobbies like football, walking to the postbox, drinking,and breathing. It excited him to excite Remy and even though he was smaller than Remy, with every thrust inward, he seemed to rock Remy onto the balls of his feet, forcing himself deeper into the Cajun hottie. He could feel himself getting closure to release and he panicked, not wanting to come just yet. 

"Come fer me, Logan." Remy had said the name again, for the seventh time and not realised he had. He had closed his eyes, tightly, as the sex began to get heavier but opened them to check for any sign of life from camp. Relieved, he didn't find any but he reminded himself that he had to bite his lip and stay quiet in case the rangers patrolled at night. A firm hand gripped his hip and a deep press in to him that forced him to rest his forehead on the trunk, between his hands.

Jamie was coming, with or without his consent. He pressed himself further against Remy, not wanting to separate them just yet. Kissing Remy's right cheek, he whispered in his ear, "do you realise that you were calling me 'Logan'?" 

Remy panted and widened his eyes, hoping Jamie hadn't really said anything. "Sorry, cher."

"No problem. He is kinda hot. Maybe he'd like a threesome, sometime?"

Remy reached around and delicately slipped Jamie out of him and then slowly turned around. He shook his head and then kissed Jamie passionately on the lips. "Logan's not interested in Remy, dat way, cher."

Jamie laughed as he pulled away and fixed his clothing as Remy was now doing the same. "I find that hard to believe. After the way you stared at him, when we left. You mean to tell me, you ain't been in his pants yet? Yer charm's slippin, boy."

A sigh as Remy knew it was the truth. "I uh, I did have Logan, a few times. But, he's more interested in de filles dan Remy." 

Leaning over to kiss Remy and massage their tongues together, Jamie tried his best to chase away the thought of being second best to Remy's neighbour, who wasn't that interested in the handsome Cajun at all. He deepened the kiss in hopes of erasing Logan from Remy's mind. So far, he had been doing a fantastic job until Remy stopped him. "What's the matter?"

"Startin' to rain again." Pointing up, Remy nudged Jamie back down to camp and hurried the other man into the small, dry spot underneath Jamie's vinyl sleeping bag. They were laughing and giggling and trying their best to be quiet but failed as the other two members, Ezra and Jason, stirred from their own quiet session to see what was the matter.

~~~~~~~~~~

The blue Ford pulled into the driveway of Remy's house and parked long enough for Remy to gather his bag and tell Jamie goodbye with a lean back in through the open passenger door and a kiss and then it was backing out and down the road before the second minute passed. Remy waved and smiled and couldn't wait to unlock his front door and slip into a nice hot shower. First, he had to find where he left his keys since he really didn't want to disturb Logan until after he was clean. 

Remy placed the bag on the front step and knelt down to find his set of keys. Sifting down to the bottom of his bag, Remy's fingertips brushed against the ring of keys and with a clever hook of his right ring finger, he jerked them up and caught them in his hand. Unlocking the front door and still kneeling outside, Remy pushed it open and fell, face first, landing on his creme carpet. The soft/rough texture and warmth and coolness of the berber was enough for him to make a decision never to leave that very spot for the rest of his life. Of course, it might make it hard to shower, shave and eat from in the middle of the walkway but he was willing to adjust.

With a sigh and a slide into the house, Remy sat up to pull his bag in and close the door. Immediately, he fell back onto the carpeting and closed his eyes for what felt like a few minutes. When he did open his eyes again, the sun was in a deeper position in the sky and the clock above the television read an hour later. He lay on his left side and rolled to his stomach and pushed himself up to head upstairs and take a shower. 

The water ran for a full two minutes until it was nice and hot for Remy to sink down low into his hot tub style bath and lounge amongst the lavender scented bubbles. He sighed in content and held his breath as he slipped under the water to wet his hair. When he sat up again, he took a deep breath and released it before reaching for the soap and washcloth. After washing both himself and his hair and rinsing, he drained the tub and stood up to get out and wrap himself in an emerald coloured towel that was large enough to be a beach blanket. He dried off and slipped on his grey sweatpants, white T-shirt and black flip-flops before combing out his hair and heading downstairs to go get his mail from Logan's.

Remy yawned as he opened the door and headed across the street. Logan saw him coming and was making his way, mail in hand, over to the edge of the sidewalk to meet him. A tired wave and a warm smile greeted Logan as they met at the curb.

"Welcome back. Have a nice time?" Logan smiled in return as he handed over the good sized stack of envelopes and one thin brown package.

Remy nodded. 

Logan laughed as Remy yawned again. "Tired ya out that much, huh? Anything happen that wasn't excitin'?"

"Oui." Remy yawned again. "I'm not pregnant." Both men laughed but Remy noticed a glint in Logan's eyes that reminded him who he had missed during his week away. "How was your week? Your munchkins drive you crazy, yet?" Remy smiled and tossed his arm around Logan's shoulders as they walked back to Remy's front door. Tossing the envelopes onto the small table beside the door, he turned his attention back to the other man.

Logan shook his head. "Not yet. Just about though." Glancing over, Logan saw a smile so big on Remy, he could swear Remy had had the worst possible time the entire week he was away. "So," he turned to face Remy as they stood in the open doorway, "was the trip okay?"

Nodding, Remy leaned against the frame and tried his best to avoid Logan's eyes but he eventually met them with his. "It was good. We climbed, drank, got stuck, got cold and kept warm with each other."

"Yer friend left in a hurry."

Remy looked down at his feet. "Yea, he had ta work early and had a lot to do before den." When he did look back up, Logan had a soft smile to him that Remy was finding hard to resist. "Logan, I been thinkin' about a few t'ings. Uh,..... how-- how do uh, you feel about Remy?" It was true, the entire trip had been nothing but thoughts of Logan and having the 'dating' discussion with his kids, if Logan agreed.

Logan cleared his throat and sighed in thought. "I don't think this is the place or time to talk about this."

"When is de time? It always comes down to dis, Logan. I need ta know." 

Pushing off of the opposite frame and placing a hand on Remy's left arm, Logan tried to keep it as innocent as possible. "Listen, Rem, I don't think we oughtta talk about this after you've just gotten back."

"Logan, I been t'inkin about this for a week an' I really t'ink we can do dis. I can talk to de kids about it." Remy was becoming anxious but tried to hide it. He tried to keep himself calm but was steadily losing the battle. Closing the gap, Remy leaned forward and kissed Logan clearly within view of the entire neighborhood, as well as Logan's two children who were looking on from the front porch of Logan's house. The kiss was not a simple peck or a half-hearted kiss but rather a long lasting, deep-throated tongue kiss that could set the house on fire, had they have been all the way inside.

Logan had been clearly thrown off guard with what happened and did his best to push them apart. "Rem. Remy. Stop!" He had to forcefully push Remy away to talk to him but before he could open his mouth, after separating them, he had to rethink his approach and decided to talk to Remy at a later date. Logan told Remy that he would talk to him in the morning and headed back over to where his daughter was now standing, arms folded and an angry scowl aimed right at Remy, who now followed Logan back across the street.

Remy had made it halfway across the street, just a few paces behind Logan, when he stopped and spasmed uncontrollably. His hands flew to his head and he squinted in pain as if he had just cranked up the music with a major hangover. He uttered a pained moaned and dropped to his knees as Logan stopped and turned around to see what was wrong. The pain finally let go of him and he panted and tucked away from Logan as the older man bent down over him.

"Are you okay?"

Flinching away from Logan, Remy muttered a "don't touch me" and quickly stood up and backed away. "I talk to you later, ok?" Remy avoided eye contact with Logan and anyone else who might have been watching as he hurried back to his front door and slammed it shut.

Logan turned and stared wide-eyed at his daughter, who made no attempt to unfold her arms or change her angry expression. Matthew had lost interest in Remy ignoring them and went back inside before the kiss. Stephanie was glad that he did. He was shocked and awed at what she had done with her mother's powers but he was also worried about Remy and his health condition that she might have upset. Making his way back to her, he escorted her back inside and gave a glance back at Remy's closed front door before closing his own to talk to them about what they had witnessed.

 

Continued.


	8. Chapter 8

2 days later-

Remy had taken to painting to work off his frustration of being put off from Logan and then attacked via brainwaves by Stephanie. So, he started with a wide brush and a pale of paint. Classic blue. He started on the aluminum siding over the garage. The trim he'd leave to paint white but since he was doing this at night, the siding with a dark colour was first. He had started at 10, after a late dinner, using slow even strokes. It took him two hours to small space, to the left and overtop of the garage and he still was not tired. He found himself humming a classic rock tune and enjoying the bright moonlight that slowly made its way across the sky. His small metal step ladder shook with almost every movement but he managed not to fall.

By the time he made it to the paneling between the garage and the front door, it was already 10 minutes shy of 1A.M. and Remy had no intention of stopping. At 1:15, he was nearing the mid-way mark down when he felt the eyes of someone watching him from his plush green lawn. In turning around, Remy cocked his head and sighed, unsurprised that it was Stephanie- not Logan- who watched him. 

"You really are strange, you know? Do you do anything normal?" Stephanie stood there plainly, in short-sleeved, pastel green pajamas and white bunny slippers. Her hair was down, caping her slendre back in dark, rich red. She eyed him like he was mad, or not completely balanced.

Remy didn't respond and only turned back to his work.

Stephanie stepped closer. "Dad says I have to apologise to you."

Remy stopped. "Well--?" He didn't move, only stared at the painted panels and waited. His voice was devoid of emotion but he felt he owed her the knowledge of how upset he was.

Folding her arms as if feeling his discomfort, Stephanie shook her head slightly. "I don't think I will." She stared at his back, his long auburn ponytail slithered down it, stretching itself to his beltloops. Her eyes met the firm mounds behind his tight backpockets and stared long and hard, wondering about Remy's sexual wantings of her straight father. She had no problem with Remy being gay but she couldn't accept the way it had been handled.

Remy scoffed and went back to his work. As he bent down to refresh the paint on his bristles, he paused to reach for a cigarrette from his T-shirt pocket and place one between his lips. He looked back Stephanie, who was still standing on the lawn, watching him. He pulled out his Zippo and lit it as she stepped onto the front walk.

Unfolding her arms, Stephanie looked down at the extra brush that lay next to the paint. "Can I help?"

"Non."

"Why?"

Remy placed his lighter back into the front jeans pocket he had gotten it from and reached for his brush. "Because I don't want help."

"It goes faster with two people."

Growling his annoyance under his breath, Remy started his slow, even strokes back and forth on the panel that had only been half finished. "Don't you have school tomorrow?"

"Nope. Monday."

Sighing, Remy continued to paint even after feeling her presence close in and seeing her paint beside him. She was only a teenager and couldn't possibly understand what he might have felt for anyone in his life. So, he breathed in and breathed out and continued painting along side her, in silence. There must have been a good hour of silence before he actually said something in terms of offering her a drink of fresh iced tea. He forced a smile as she accepted and quickly set down his brush to go inside and retrieve it. As he returned with a the green plastic tumbler of iced tea, he found her sitting on the front step, examining the small spot of blue paint on the side of her right hand.

Stephanie paused from her rubbing at the dried paint and accepted the glass of tea as Remy sat down beside her. He smelled so good with his faint scent of sweet cologne and sweat. She took a sip and was amazed at how good it tasted and how refreshing it was. She sighed and set the glass down beside her. She stared across the street at her own front porch and wondered what Remy thought about whenever he stared across the street. She was enjoying the silent, peaceful moment when Remy finally spoke up, as if knowing what was on her mind. 

"Do you have a problem wit' me bein' gay, petite?"

Biting her tongue against her top lip, Stephanie sighed, long and deep, thinking about how to phrase her answer and not offend him. "Yes." Taking another sip of her tea, her mouth suddenly went dry. "Then again, it really isn't my business what kind of person you date."

"Non, it's not."

Stephanie held her glass tightly in her hands. She was feeling the weight of what she needed to say to the man who came to be not only her family's friend but her father's happiness. Glancing over at Remy, she admired his profile as his soft, fluid movements said nothing of the hurt and shame he now felt. "Since you've moved in, you haven't been the average neighbour. Perhaps, that's a good thing but my dad doesn't need to be toyed with like that."

Remy took another sip of his own glass of tea and nodded. He didn't want to say anything as he knew she needed to get her feelings off her chest. They sat in the dark as he didn't want the yard light on to attract unwanted attention, although being in the dark had already attracted the attention of someone he wished it hadn't. He waited for her to finish her thoughts or beat him up, either physically or with her new, acknowledged powers. Instead, he listened to the sound of his own soft breathing and her swallowing the regret of disliking the proverbial wall society had enforced about certain topics. As if needing the ice broken so he could breathe, Remy cleared his throat and said calmly under his breath, "I'm not trying to hurt him, or you, petite. He's your poppa an' you have every right ta be protective. But, your poppa is a grown man. He needs ta make up his own mind for what's best for him." 

Quietly sipping her tea, Stephanie knew he was right.

"Your poppa gonna be mad you're out here in de middle of de night?"

Stephanie shrugged but didn't look at him. She instead looked up at her father's office window and saw that it was on, meaning Logan also couldn't sleep and was finding his own odd way of entertaining his restless mind. Her mouth twitched and she bit her bottom lip in hesitation. "Did I hurt you?"

"Non."

She knew he was lying but didn't correct him.

With his free hand, Remy rubbed her back and whispered for her to go home and get some sleep. He was relieved when she agreed with a yawn and let him help her stand up. He didn't expect for them to be best friends again, or even felt he deserved a hug but she smiled sweetly and gave a wave as he returned the gesture and watched her walk home and inside her door.

~~~~~~~~

As the clock winded down to the end of his shift, Logan stared intently on the light left on in Remy's office. It was almost 10 o'clock and Remy was still at work. That didn't sound like him. Then again, Logan had lost count on the changes in Remy since he and Stephanie painted his house, after dark. The clock ticked closer to 10 and forced Logan to snap back to finishing his paperwork for the day before switching the watch over to the new and younger shift guard. Somehow, he couldn't write fast enough to get back to watching the monitor to see if Remy's light had gone off, or if he had simply forgotten to turn it off.

Geoff Gage, the week-new security guard, walked in promptly at 9:58 and placed his black lunch pail down on the metal chair, beside the door. "Good evening," he smiled.

Logan looked up from his monitor and nodded in acknowledgement. "Looks like you'll have a quiet night, tonight. Only a few people are still here." Signing his name, on his report, Logan placed the papers in the OUT basket and turned around to look at his replacement.

"That's cool. I need to catch up on my reading." Geoff held up a Sports Illustrated and smiled at the cover model.

Logan smiled back and stood up to stretch and gather his things before signing out and leaving. "It's all yours, kiddo. Have a good night!" He patted Geoff on the back and opened the door to leave. "Gonna check on the light in 212. I haven't seen his car all day but I'm sure he's still here."

"Alright." Signing and sitting down in the same chair Logan had gotten up from, Geoff started his beginning shift paperwork and quickly eyed the monitors in front of him.

Closing the door behind him and heading to the lifts to go up a floor, Logan wondered if Remy was all right or had simply fallen asleep at his desk from endless nights of working too hard. The ride up in the small car was no help in clearing his mind of the worst. Shrugging himself of the bad thoughts and forcing his mind to consider that possibly Remy had a deadline and was still hard at work to finish his own paperwork before leaving to go home to an empty house.

The doors opened and Logan stepped out and eagerly walked to Remy's closed office door and knocked twice. "Remy-?" He whispered it into the crack where the door met the frame and waited for an answer. After a moment, he knocked again and raised his voice to gain acknowledgement of the man inside. He waited half a minute more and then quietly opened the door to peer inside. The light was on and Remy was still there but not where Logan expected to find him. Opening the door wider and stepping in, he closed the door behind him and looked around the room for the young Cajun. Smiling, he found Remy laying on his side, facing the back of the black leather sofa he lay on, and breathing evenly.

Remy had fallen asleep, in his office, after days and nights of running on nothing but fumes and small cartons of Thai takeaway. His suit jacket hung on the hook by the door and his shined maroon loafers sat neatly under it. Though his black silk shirt made him shiver when the air conditioner kicked on, his skin underneath was warm to the touch. His black suitpants added little warmth to him but couldn't keep him from shivering uncontrollably. Remy slept with his right arm as a pillow and his left huddled closely to his chest. His legs curled so that his feet didn't hang off the end of the sofa but rather confined him from stretching out, over the plush arms.

Logan knelt down beside the sofa and looked closer at the boss' son. He noticed that, eventhough Remy was already pale, the young man had paled even more to the point of sickness. Raising a hand to place it on Remy's still left arm, Logan shook him gently and whispered the Cajun's name, "Rem-?"

Waking at the touch and the sound of someone's voice, Remy turned and opened his eyes to see a familiar blur staring back at him. "Hn? What time is it?"

"Little past 10. You alright?"

Remy turned more and sat up as Logan stood up and stepped back. "Fine. Just tired."

Logan nodded. "You look like Matt's turtle after baking under the sun lamps too long. C'mon, I'll take ya to get somethin' to eat." He watched as Remy rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath as he stretched before he pushed himself to stand up. "Bring yer car, today?"

"Non, poppa brought me." In standing up, Remy lost his balance and promptly sat back down on the sofa, hands cupping his head. "What's de idea of pushin me?"

Raising an eyebrow at Remy's falter, Logan voiced his concern, "take your meds today?"

"Non."

"Why not?"

"Didn't feel like it. And, dey're at home."

"Good place for 'em." Logan helped Remy up and guided him, by the arm, to the office door and opened it, leading the younger boss out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Logan sat across from Remy in a bright, somewhat vacant dining area of a fast food place and watched him devour a double decker hamburger with a few strands of shoestring fries in between. "Been that busy that you had to cut out sleep AND eating, have ya?" Sipping on a root beer, he watched Remy's thin fingers pick up a few more strings of fries and bring them to his soft, pink lips.

Remy shrugged and chewed the bite of burger in his mouth before shoving in the fries and chewing. He swallowed and covered a yawn as he reached for his own soda to wash down the meal with. "Been too busy for anyt'ing, mainly."

"I see that." Logan raised an eyebrow and watched as Remy finished off his hamburger by shoving the good-sized but not too big bite into his mouth. "Steph says you two have most of the house painted, already."

A nod.

"And then what?"

Shrugging again, Remy really had no plans of doing much else to the house or the car that he washed twice this week. "I'll think of something, eh." A nonchalant wink and another hidden yawn.

Logan chuckled quietly. "I think you'd better work on catchin up on your sleep, first." Logan grabbed his drink in one hand and the tray in another and started to stand up. "Done?"

Another yawn as Remy nodded and stood up, placing his mostly empty soda cup on the tray. He thanked Logan for the food and followed the security guard to the rubbish bin, that sat next to the door.

"Don't mention it, Gumbo." During the drive home, Logan couldn't help but glance over at Remy dozing in the passenger seat next to him. His mind wondered why Remy was spending so much time staying awake than getting sleep. Remy had mentioned that he didn't feel safe when he was alone but as Logan clearly saw, sleep was winning when Remy was at least with someone or safe in his office. He thought about a solution as they turned the corner onto their street.

Logan pulled into the driveway and parked the car, shut off the engine and looked over at Remy, who was sound asleep. He waited a moment and took in the young man's profile and structure as the moonlight poured through the tinted window. Remy's head was turned towards the window and his hands rested in his lap. Soft, even breaths punched at Logan to make him feel bad for having to wake Remy. Raising a gentle hand to reach over and shake a thin shoulder, Logan spoke softly, "hey, Remy--? We're home."

Inhale and a breath out, Remy opened his eyes and turned to see Logan smiling at him. It took him a solid two minutes before realising where he was and opening the door. "Merci, Logan." A big yawn and a stretch once he stood in the driveway. "See you tomorrow, non?" He shut the car door and started walking to the end of the driveway when Logan got out of his side and shut the door.

"Hey, you wanna-- stay here, tonight?" Logan's expression was that of concern for his friend.

Remy paused and hid a smile before turning back to face Logan. "Non. Got some things ta do, 'fore I turn in."

"You sure?"

"Oui. Night." With a small wave, Remy continued across the street and tried not to stumble as he collected his mail from the postbox, unlocked his door and went inside.

 

Continued.


	9. Chapter 9

The clock had struck just after one in the afternoon and Remy worked all morning, at his desk, busily drawing plans and writing start ups for the next week's bidding. For a thought, he decided to have lunch at home, take a hot shower and then crawl back to work for another long night finishing plans. Bobby had stumbled upon him earlier in the morning and Remy couldn't hold his mouth still from asking him to help. When Remy came home and stood in his bedroom, he took a deep breath, wandered up to the corner of his bed and collapsed diagonally, face gently bouncing on the bedspread.

His cool gray beadspread felt soft, plush and inviting. His eyes were heavy and blinked closed almost immediately after landing. Deep, graceful breaths whisked him to a relaxing dream, sitting on a beach and sipping a cold fruity drink while watching Alex on his surfboard. The dream was so vivid that Remy swore he could taste the coconut in his drink and feel the condensation on the curvy glass it came in. 

Eventhough, he had been sleeping for hours, Remy hadn't moved from his position until the phone started ringing. Gradually, his right arm started to move and slide his phone out of his pocket, flipping it open, he mumbled a weary "hello?"

"Remy?"

"Oui, petite." Rolling over, Remy opened his eyes and found that the sun had moved lower, changing the lighting in his room.

Stephanie sounded out of breath and frantic. "I think I killed my brother."

Remy had been lying on his back and upon hearing her answer, he sat straight up in shock, "come again?"

"We- we had a really big fight and- and he--- fell."

"Fell from where, petite?" Remy slid to the edge of the bed and stood up, making his way downstairs to the front door. He had the door open and was about to step out, onto the porchstep when she answered with somewhere he didn't expect.

"I pushed him out of my window. Come quick, I killed him!" Stephanie's voice became more frantic as she moved through the house and out to the backyard, where her brother was laying on the grass.

Remy hung up the phone and hurried over to Logan's front door. As he reached for the knob, the door opened and Stephanie called to him from the back patio. Running to where she now knelt, over a still unconscious Matthew, he assessed the scene quickly. His next moved was to dial 911 on his cell phone and tell the operator what happened while keeping Stephanie calm. 

The ambulance arrived in a timely fashion and whisked the still unconscious boy away with Remy and Stephanie following closely behind, in Remy's car. Stephanie frantically dialed Logan's cell phone and let it ring before giving up to dial his work, directly. She sat in the passenger seat but it felt like she was sitting on a bucket of pins and needles, on a never-ending ride to the hospital. "Daddy, you need to get down to County General. I might have killed Matthew." Not waiting for his shocked reply, she hung up and shook as she opened the door as the car came to a stop in the parking lot.

Though Remy's legs were longer, Stephanie raced through the automatic sliding doors of the Emergency Entrance just as the EMTs wheeled Matthew into the waiting room and down the hall to the Emergency Room. She glanced over, every so often, to see if he had woken up yet. He hadn't.

The medical staff had taken charge of Matthew's transport and ordered Stephanie and Remy to wait in the Waiting Room, just down the hall. As the swinging doors prohibited them from going any farther, Stephanie was left to stand at the window and watch as her brother disappeared through one of four Emergency Rooms.

~~~~~~~~~

Remy sat in the middle chair in a row of nine, positioned against a far wall, while Stephanie paced endlessly back and forth in growing desperation. His arms were folded and his legs were crossed but no matter what he tried, he was not able to block out Stephanie's mounting dread. "Steph, petite, come sit down." He took a calming breath and did his best to move his headache out of his mind. 

Stephanie's arms itched with unease. "I killed him, Remy. I destroyed my own brother."

"Non." Remy's voice was a little more than a whisper. Unfolding his arms to pat the seat to his left, Remy smiled comfortingly at her. When she obliged, Remy placed his arm about her shoulders and lightly embraced her to calm her nerves.... and his headache. "He'll be just fine, petite."

At the next breath, Logan rushed into the room and hurried over for updates. Stephanie had met him half way and they embraced tightly. When they parted, he looked at Remy and then focused his attentions back to his daughter. "Are you alright? Did they say anything?"

"Daddy, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it!" Stephanie couldn't think of anything else to say. Her grief had clouded every ability to think clearly about what happened.

Remy folded his arms again but fought to stay calm. "She's okay, jus' shaken. Dey ain't said much 'bout Matt."

"Why not?"

Remy swallowed. "Dey don't know."

"What the Hell do they know?" Logan growled.

Unfolding himself and standing up, Remy placed a calm hand on Logan's arm and was abruptly shrugged off. "De doctors ain't been dis way, yet. Only been a few minutes." He could feel Logan's anger choking him but it wasn't Remy Logan was angry at. "Why don't I take de petite home, hehn?"

"No!" Stephanie interrupted. "I want to stay here."

Logan weighed the situation and embraced his daughter as a scream came from a very frightened nurse, down the hallway. "I think he'll be okay." Kissing the top of her head and rubbing her back, Logan nudged Stephanie towards Remy. "Go on, get some rest."

It had taken some prodding from both Logan and Remy but she eventually gave in and agreed to let Remy take her home. Stephanie was feeling exhausted, both emotionally and physically. She concealed a yawn as Remy escorted her out and a middle-aged doctor strode in to give Logan the news.

~~~~~~~~~~

Remy pulled into his own driveway but walked the still shaken teen across the street and onto the porch of the Howlett house. He paused behind her as she stared at the front door, key poised in hand before the lock. "Somethin' wrong, petite?"

"No." Stephanie shook, uncontrollably. "Remy, can I stay at your house?"

Nodding and ushering a small smile, Remy patted her shoulder and whispered softly, "sure." Leading the way back to his front door, he noticed Stephanie had no pleasure in dawdling and upped his pace. He unlocked the door and opened it, letting her enter first before following her in. Closing the door behind him, he offered her a place to stretch out on the sofa or in the guest room, upstairs.

"I'm not tired." 

Remy nodded. He knew better that she was fighting to stay awake and would eventually lose the battle as the night progressed. "Some TV?" He waved a hand to the living room and offered her a spot on the plush sofa. "Some soda? Water? Mebbe somethin ta eat?"

"I'm a little hungry." Moving over to the sofa's far end, she sat down and smiled back at her host.

Remy thought for a moment on what a teenaged girl might like. "Ah, I have some cold pizza from last night? Or, have some bread an' bologna or ham?" He still stood in his entryway but had turned on the light to the living room to see.

She smiled again as she could tell that appeasing a girl was not one of Remy's strong points. "Cold pizza is fine. Thank you."

"Okay." Remy disappeared into the dark kitchen to retrieve the cold Supreme pizza from the refrigerator, along with sodas for the both of them. Placing the slices on two clear blue glass plates, he brought Stephanie's meal and drink out first and then fetched his own. They sat in silence, as Stephanie was in no mood to have other noise contributing to her state.

Stephanie took a bite and then examined her slice. "There's no mushrooms." Her hair had been swept back to a makeshift ponytail, to keep it out of her face. Her long tresses had been a nuisance to her at times and she wondered why Remy both wanted long hair and why he rarely let it down, out of the ponytail he kept it in.

Blushing, Remy swallowed his third bite and gave a humble reply, "not a mushroom fan. Sorry."

Stephanie giggled, "I don't like them, either." They sat across from each other, she on the sofa and Remy on the floor, laughing and talking about whatever they thought of. When they finished with the meal and Remy cleared the plates and empty cans, Stephanie casually eased into lying down and curling up while waiting for Remy to come back. A yawn that refused surpression escaped and her eyes slid quickly closed as the cushions had been so comfortable and cool. She blinked open as a warm, soft wool blanket had been placed over her but closed them again as the living room light went off and the stair light, at the top of the stairs, flicked on.

Retreating upstairs, Remy checked his cell phone for any calls that would undoubtedly have happened. There had been two calls from Bobby and one voicemail from his father. Listening to the voicemail last, Remy figured he had to call Bobby and explain to him the twisted events of the afternoon. Bobby had been a little upset but Remy managed to sway him to another date, given the circumstances, Bobby obliged. Remy sat on the edge of his bed and sighed that Bobby had been so understanding and as they hung up, Remy was about to dial his voicemail, he stood up and moved to glance out of his bedroom window to see if Logan had come home yet.

Logan hadn't come home yet but Remy decided to go downstairs and sit on the front step with a smoke, as he waited. Quietly, he sneaked down the stairs and opened the front door, checking to see if Stephanie had stirred at the creek the door made. Slipping out and pulling the door to, Remy sat down on the step and lit his first of two smokes as he stared at his darkened neighbour's house across the street. He recalled the events of the day and how frantic Stephanie had seemed to the police officers as she tried to explain to them what happened, without them thinking it was a deliberate act of revenge from an angry mutant sister. 

Stephanie had composed herself like a young lady and seemed genuinely concerned for her brother but seemed to know that Matthew would be alright. It had been a rough day for all but the brave young girl had shown her mother's calm grace and didn't let her anxieties get the better of her. It was an admirable trait for a young, confident woman to have. However, though her soft overtones seemed convincing enough, Remy knew she was at her wits end and probably struggling to keep her demeanour.

By the time the second smoke was half gone, Logan's car pulled into the drive. Remy stood up and whistled over to Logan as the other man exited the vehicle. They met at the pavement, before Remy's driveway and briefed each other on the situation.

"She okay?" Logan stole a puff of Remy's cigarette. 

Remy nodded and motioned to his living room window. "She's fine. Had cold pizza an' a soda, den she lay down on de sofa for a snooze."

Logan smiled, relieved. "Well, he woke up. He's in a little pain but doin' okay. Doc's holdin' him until tomorrow, observation. Other than that, he's a little sore and thought it was funny that she could actually push him out the window." Logan didn't seem amused to know that his daughter and eldest child was the root cause of the evening from Hell. "Want me to carry her over? Or can you handle her for the night?"

Quirking a grin at the subtle joke, Remy shook his head. "Non, she be fine wit' me. She was tired an' don't really think she needs ta go back where it started, right now. I'll give her breakfast an' send her home, non?"

"Okay." Logan shrugged and thanked Remy for his help and then said good night as he was exhausted, as well.

 

Continued.


	10. Chapter 10

It was early early morning when Stephanie woke up. She was a bit warm and disoriented from finding herself on Remy's sofa, instead of in her own bed. She sat up, stretched her arms and shoved the blanket off of her. Her mouth was dry and she thought about wandering into the kitchen to find a glass for some water. Quietly, she stepped over to the bottom of the stairs and paused to glance at the second floor. 

The house was dark, save for a miscellaneous nightlight placed at various spots in the downstairs so she or Remy could find their way around. Moonlight crept in through cracks in the lightweight curtains that covered the living room windows. 

Stephanie quirked her mouth and shrugged a notion to peek at Remy sleeping. She was just about to take a step closer to the kitchen when a sound caught her attention. It came from upstairs. Biting her bottom lip, Stephanie gave in and carefully tiptoed up the stairs, stepping on each board closest to the wall to avoid any creaks. In reaching the top of the stairs, she paused again and listened for any sound or movement saying Remy was still awake. She stood there for a minute and then crept closer to where she heard the noise. 

Remy normally slept with his door closed but since he had a guest, he left it open about six inches, just in case Stephanie needed him during the night. Tonight, he slept on his right side, on the side closest to the bathroom, with his arms wrapped around the spare pillow that had been Alex's. He was silent as he slept; no talking or snoring or even ominous sounds came from him. 

Pushing the door open and peering into the room, Stephanie admired the way Remy innocently slept. She watched him for a long while, wondering what he was dreaming about. She wanted to move closer but didn't dare in case he woke up. She thought it was a shame that he was gay but he was also too old for her. 

Remy took a deep breath and gave an audible sigh before rolling onto his back and turning his head to the left. He was deep enough into his dream that he hadn't felt anyone around him. His long legs were stretched out, the right bent with his knee pointing to the window. His right arm had been under his pillow, cushioning his head as he lay on his side and his left draped across his stomach. The fluffy, lightweight white quilt and tan top sheet covered him from the waist down, leaving his bare top section exposed.

Stephanie inhaled the scent of the room and her sleeping host. It smelled like baby powder and soap with a hint of musk and warmth from being under the covers and getting warm. She liked the way Remy often smelled; like Brut cologne or Ivory soap or sometimes like a spice that she couldn't quite identify, a peppery spice. Taking the time to look around the room, she found a small 5x7 picture frame, sitting on his dresser, with a photo of Remy's dad and a young woman, Stephanie assumed was his mother. With her mind, she lifted the frame from its spot, in the middle of the dressertop, and brought it closer to see. Remy hardly talked about his family at all and this had been the only picture she had seen of his family, in his whole house. "He must be so lonely without a family," she whispered and replaced the picture to its spot. Another deep sigh brought her attention back to Remy, still asleep but changed positions again, this time to lay on his left side for a second and then over to his stomach. He moaned, softly, and Stephanie smiled as she caught his whisper of Alex's name.

Concealing a yawn, she replaced the door at six inches open and then made her way carefully back down the stairs. Each step down brought a thought to her that she'd had about gay men and their sleeping habits. She knew it was silly to invent the lifestyle that had been preconceived for years, about gay men, but she wasn't sure Remy or his own lifestyle habits. With another step, Stephanie thought back to seeing Remy kiss Logan on his doorstep and how she reacted by giving Remy a Hell of a headache for it. She paused and sat down about midway up. Stephanie had tried to see things from Remy's perspective and once confronted with the reality, she chose offense. 

Remy coughed and then made an audible wheezing sound, from his bedroom. He coughed again and once more as the wheezing became louder. He was gasping for air, sitting up and clutching his chest as Stephanie hurried into the room with a glass of water for him. Pointing to the weekly pill box, he raised a shaking hand and nudged her over to collect Saturday's pills for him. 

"Should I call the hospital?" Stephanie flinched as he grabbed the pillstick from her and eagerly opened the AM container and dumped the five pills into his hand. He shoved them into his mouth and then forced himself to drink slowly, swallowing each one with painful repercussions. Her curiosity grew and she wondered if she should overrule him and call anyway as his pain didn't seem to let up, even after he shook his head. "Are you sure? Maybe I should call my dad?" In reaching for the cell phone, by the bed, she was grabbed by the wrist and held there for a moment until Remy regained composure.

Remy swallowed the last mouthful of water and took a deep breath. "Non. No ambulance, no doctor, no Logan. I'm fine, petite. Go on back ta bed, hehn? Merci." He had thrown the covers off when he sat up and revealed his light blue pajama bottoms. 

"But-"

"Non. F'get it. Go on ta bed. Remy be fine, girl." He winked and let go of her wrist, nodding to the open door.

Against her better judgement, Stephanie shrugged and made her way back to the doorway. She paused to glance back to see Remy resting his elbows on his knees and staring at the glass of water as if he were thinking about something far away. She wondered what he was thinking about that made him seem so sad but did as she was told and went back down to sit on the sofa and listen for him to cough again. An hour passed and she didn't hear anything. She figured he must have gone back to bed as well. 

Remy's room had been immaculate; drawers closed and polished, no trace of anything electronic other than a small flat screen that sat on the far end of the dresser, and absolutely nothing that embelished his sexual lifestyle. The colours had been neutral in the room and even the bedding and pillows gave nothing to the imagination. Stephanie did notice a small stuffed black Lab puppy sitting on the far nightstand, lonely and forgotten, as if waiting for the owner to come back. 

Stephanie concealed a yawn and sat curled up, resting her head on the back of the sofa and closed her eyes for a moment.

~~~~~~~~~

On waking up and opening her eyes, Stephanie was hit in the face with bright sunlight that forced its way through the still drawn curtains. With a sharp inhale, her nose filtered in the smell of coffee and pancakes. She cleared her throat and sat up from laying down and facing the opposite way she had been laying the night before. 

Remy poked his head around the corner, from the kitchen, and smiled, "mornin'! You up for breakfast?"

Another inhale and Stephanie's stomach growled its answer. "Sure." Stretching her sore and cramped legs, she pushed herself off of the cushions and wobbled over to the nearest barstool and sat down. A plate of two, big, golden brown pancakes had been placed in front of her as well as a small bowl of warm maple syrup and a plate of margarine. 

Remy had also fixed himself a plate of two pancakes and syrup as well as a cup of coffee. "Somethin ta drink? I have juice, water, coacoa, milk?"

"Coffee?"

Remy wasn't expecting that answer. "Coffee, huh? Logan give you coffee?"

She nodded, "half a cup with some ice to cool it down."

Biting the side of his cheek, Remy gave in and fixed half a cup of coffee the way she had described. As he set it down in front of her, he noticed her expression and demeanour as she watched him. "Somethin' wrong?"

"No." Stephanie took her third bite of pancakes and tilted her head to read his expression of confusion. "Are you sure you're gay? I would have thought OCD." It hadn't been her intention to insult him but what she had noticed about Remy and what she had been told about the 'homosexual lifestyle' clashed. She found Remy more and more fascinating as she observed him. "I mean, there isn't a trace of anything stating that you're gay. You don't even act like it. But, your house is cleaner than a model home."

Remy smirked and hid a laugh with a sip of coffee. After swallowing, he found that his grin had spread into a smile of flattery. "Why don't you believe I'm gay, petite? You saw me kiss your dad. And bein' clean is somethin' my parents drilled inta us."

"I just thought that you'd have all of these pictures with multiple guys or nightclub stuff or strange furniture, when you're--- with someone---?" Stephanie choked on her last bite she stuffed into her mouth.

Brow furrowing, Remy wasn't sure he was understanding her. "My club days came to an abrupt end, years ago. I never did care for pointless sex and not all gay men, or women, are like dat. I don't flaunt because it's my business. Straight people live deir lives like bein' straight is nothin' special. Why should I live my life like bein' gay is any different?"

Putting down her fork from her half-finished pancakes, Stephanie leaned in. "My mom had this friend, Piotr something-- anyway, he was obsessed with his body and muscles and always mentioned that he could turn any straight man gay, just by spending the night with them. He was also obsessed with being young and beautiful and he made it a point to seek out every young, handsome straight guy and come on to him. He made the offer to my dad and--"

"Dat's why I had a headache fer t'ree hours?"

Stephanie took a deep breath and exhaled inwardly before answering. "I just think, if you're straight, be straight. And if you're gay, be gay. There are way too many people trying to change everyone."

Remy nodded in understanding. "How do I 'be gay', petite?" With another sip of his coffee and his watch alarm interrupting, he wiped his mouth with his napkin that he had sitting beside his plate and excused himself to retrieve his pills from upstairs.

While he was gone, Stephanie finished her pancakes and glanced at the green digital clock on the stove. "Eleven o'clock?"

Remy almost skipped down the stairs, pills in hand, hurrying to take them before his backup timer went off. He had also gotten dressed because he knew Logan would be over any minute to collect his daughter and share the news about Matthew. His chest still hurt from the night before but it was steadily going away as he ate something and controlled his breathing. When he sat down again, Stephanie eyed the pills in his hand and watched him closely as he swallowed each one with a sip of coffee.

"What are they for?"

Placing the last one on his tongue, Remy sipped his cooled coffee and swallowed. "Bad heart."

Stephanie's eyes widened as she remembered Remy being in the hospital after Logan and Alex found him unconscious, reason unknown but centered around his heart. "Are you sure coffee and cigarettes are okay, then?" She worried as clearly Remy thought nothing serious of it.

Remy smiled and nodded. "I mix leaded wit' unleaded. I'll be fine, petite." Taking another sip, he motioned for her to finished her breakfast before Logan made it across the street. 

Stephanie had taken one more bite before the knock on the door. She watched Remy, wearing tight blue jeans and his favourite Braves jersey, head for the door to let Logan in. She admired his tight backside and long, slendre legs that seemed to skip across the room. Remy was very handsome and must have been very popular in the clubs he probably frequented. But the more she watched him and examined his lifestyle, the more she saw him in a different light than what she had noticed in Piotr. Remy wasn't trying to be someone else in people's eyes, and didn't expect anyone to treat him any different for any reason.

The door opened and Logan stepped in to greet Remy with a handshake and warm smile. "Mornin, kid. I see you too didn't strangle each other, last night. She behave okay?" Logan winked over at Stpehanie, who blushed at the notion.

Remy laughed and nodded as he closed the door behind Logan and walked back over to the coffee pot to refill his cup and offer Logan some. "She been a fine quest. We just been talking, no murder, today. How's Matt?" Offering Logan a cup, he poured and listened as Logan explained.

"Well, doc says he can come home, this afternoon. However, he's still sore and explained to the cops it was an accident from goofing around too much. Already had a detective come to the house and look at the window. Since Matt's not gravely injured, they won't investigate too hard. Had to explain that we're a bit 'different' than normal people." Logan accepted the cup and rubbed Stephanie's back as he sat on the stool beside her.

"Glad he's okay. De petite's been wonderin about him." Remy refilled his cup and set the empty glass decanter on the countre. 

Stephanie took another bite of her pancakes that were cold by now. "Remy's a good cook, dad. Try some?" She held up a forkful for him and smiled as he took the offered bite. 

Logan was pleasantly surprised at the taste of the pancakes. He had only tasted a few that rivaled Jean's. "Pretty good. How about you finish 'em and we can get ready to go get yer brother?" 

Stephanie nodded and hurried with the rest of her pancakes.

Logan nodded for Remy to join him out on the front step a moment while Stephanie finished her breakfast and put her shoes back on, after clearing her dishes from the countre. He led the way outside and pulled a fresh cigar out of his clean shirt pocket. "She sleep okay, last night?" he asked as Remy closed the door behind them.

"Oui. No TV, no nothin', cher. De petite was just tired. No trouble at all. She slept hard and just got up 'bout an hour ago." Remy contained a cough and although he wanted a smoke, also, he refrained as his chest had started pounding again. "So, Matthew's okay, hehn? No nightmares, no broken bones?"

A deep inhale on his cigar as Logan studied Remy's pained expression for a minute. "Yea, he's a tough kid. I cleaned up the glass, this mornin' and boarded up the window so, it won't haunt her. I know she's gettin older and no longer a baby but she's my little girl and I tend to want to protect her from everything."

Remy nodded with a small smile of admiration. 

After a moment of silence between them, the door opened and Stephanie stepped out, ready to start the day at home. Without prompting, she wrapped her arms around Remy's middle and hugged him with a whispered 'thanks' and smiled as she was hugged in return. As her head pressed against his chest, she listened to his slightly elevated heartbeat. Stephanie couldn't bring herself to say anything in Logan's presence so she pulled away and smiled before turning to head across the street to change and wash up.

Logan followed her but not before patting Remy's left shoulder as he said his goodbyes.

~~~~~~~~

"Daddy, what do you think about Remy being gay?"

The question left Logan speechless. "What do you mean?" Logan made quick glances over to the passenger seat as they hit the freeway, on the way to pick up Matthew.

"You work with him, see him everyday. What's he like at work? Does he act any different there than at home?"

Logan ran his bottom teeth over his top lip, searching for a proper answer for her. "I work for his dad and I rarely have time for a chat between his meetings and plans and my making sure the building is secure. When I do see him, he is just as professional at work as he is at home. Maybe not so 'odd' as he is when he's home." After the second exit, heading towards downtown, Logan glanced over at her quizzical expression. "What prompted this? What did you two talk about, last night?"

Stephanie shook her head in avoidance. "He just.... doesn't act like he's gay. And, I know there is no right or wrong way to act but, his house is spotless, dad. No strange pictures for people to wonder about, no odd souvenirs from various clubs, nothing. It's like-- it's a persona he just puts on, everyday. Why is he gay when nothing he says or does suggests that he is?" She stared at the out of state plate on the car in front of them as they veered off the freeway and up a long exit to a stop light.

"Well, he's been in a few jams because of who he is so, perhaps that told him to tone things down. I don't really know, baby. Remy is who he is and he's old enough to understand the consequences of whatever action lands him in hot water. His dad taught him respect, not just for other people but respect for himself as well. He's definitely not Piotr." Logan shook his head as the car came to a complete stop at the red light.

Stephanie smirked. "I don't think anyone is like Piotr, dad." Turning her head and looking over the top of her sunglasses, she gave him a "yea right" look and then turned back to watch the light turn green, enabling them to make a left turn. "I mean--, last night, I got up and kinda detoured to get a glass of water. As I passed the stairs, I heard him make this sound."

"What kind of sound?" Logan's brow furrowed.

Stephanie took a deep breath and waited until the car straighened out before answering. "Like he was-- in pain." She shrugged as she had to clarify more about the night that Remy omitted. "I had to hurry upstairs with a glass of water so he could take his morning pills. Did you know he has a bad heart?"

Logan nodded. "Yea. I know."

"I also heard him say that other guy's name, in his sleep. Alex. Is he ever going to get over that guy?" She seemed offended that Remy hadn't figured out a way to move on after Alex's death.

Logan's mouth twitched at the thought of how similar Remy and Logan were when it came to losing their loved ones. "Baby, they might not have been together all that long but, sometimes, death comes very hard to certain people. I'm still not over your mother dying. He's allowed his grief time until he thinks it's time to move on. See?"

"What if he doesn't see that it's time for him to move on? What if he wants to but doesn't know how? Does he really have to make himself miserable because he can't have the person he wants?" Stephanie was thinking deeper and deeper into Remy's emotions and nearly gave herself a headache trying to stare a hole through the glove compartment.

Logan tried not to sound irritated or too invested in someone else's life choices but did offer her a reasoning. "Perhaps he does see his bright light in the gloom but just isn't sure how to proceed just yet. Remy's a bright, funny, caring young man. Who he chooses to share his feelings with oughtta feel lucky to have someone so compassionate in their life."

Stephanie had more questions but hearing how Logan was describing their neighbour, silenced her from speaking them. Instead, it gave her an idea and all she had to do was gather each piece carefully and introduce them correctly.

 

Continued....


	11. Chapter 11

It had been a few weeks into the summer and Stephanie had come up with an idea on how to get Remy and her dad together. She had taken the time to talk to Matthew and get his view on things as well as observe more of Remy's home life. On a Tuesday morning, she woke up and was struck with an idea that she had never thought of before. The corners of her mouth curved upward in a confident smile as she threw her covers off and rubbed her eyes before making her way downstairs for breakfast. 

Matthew sat at the kitchen table, picking at two hot blueberry poptarts. He wore his pajamas, still, and left his hair a mess. Matthew had been barely awake when Logan came home from work at 7AM. It was now 9AM and he had barely moved from his chair, other than to fix four poptarts of different flavours. Blinking tiredly and turning to look at his sister as she happily bounced into the kitchen and over to the refrigerator for a box of orange juice and a plain bagel. "What're you so cheery about?"

"I have an idea." Slicing the bagel and shoving the two halves into the toaster, she pushed the button down to toast and turned around to see Matthew had also turned around and now stared at her while taking slow bites of his cooled poptart. "Is dad asleep?"

Matthew took another bite of poptart and didn't bother to wait until he cleared his mouth before answering, "Yeah. What's the idea?" He chewed another bite and waited for her to now finish spreading butter on her bagel and join him at the table. Following her as she took the chair across from him, she only smirked and took a bite of a bagel and chewed. 

After swallowing the second bite and punching the straw into the box of juice, Stephanie decided to let her little brother in on the plan. "I need you to tell dad I went to the library."

"Why? He'd never buy it."

Stephanie chewed her fourth bite and glanced over at the living room to see if Logan was standing there. "I'm going to go talk to Mr. LeBeau."

Matthew scrunched his nose in confusion. "What're you gonna talk to Remy for? And if yer gonna do that, why do you need me to tell dad you went to the library? He lives across the street."

Stephanie sighed as she realised her brother was still waking up. "Not Remy. Mr. LeBeau, his dad."

"Oh." Matthew finished his first poptart and tapped at the second with his fingers. "Why do you wanna talk to him? I thought he and Remy didn't talk much."

"They don't." Finishing her bagel part, Stephanie picked up the second piece and continued her thought, "I'm going to talk to him because maybe he knows more about Remy than Remy is willing to say. He knows how Remy lives, breathes and maybe dreams. So, if I ask the right questions, he might help us get them together." 

Matthew picked up his second poptart and held it in front of him. "Are you sure he'll help?"

"What would you suggest?" 

Matthew thought for a moment. "Well, Mr. LeBeau isn't one of Remy's supporters for his lifestyle so, you might be talkin' to a wall. I'd go with a friend of Remy's. Why do you wanna get Remy and dad together, anyway?" Taking another bite of his second poptart, Matthew had moved to examine the white frosting on the top of his nearly half gone pastry while he waited for her answer.

"Have you ever listened to dad when he's talking about Remy? It's the same tone he used when he'd talk to mom. And, I think we already know Remy likes dad, that way." Stephanie slurped down the rest of her juice before another bite of her bagel.

"Since when did you join Team LeBowlett?"

Stephanie paused at the mention of the melded names. "Let's just say I have a new understanding of things. If anything, Remy can show you how to keep your room clean." Standing up and grabbing her plate to finish her breakfast upstairs, she restated her question, "Will you help, or not?"

"Yer gonna get in trouble, you know." Matthew took a second to think about their pending actions. "I guess. But, if it backfires, I don't know you."

"Deal."

~~~~~~~

A knock on Jean-Luc's office door hadn't deterred him from crunching numbers on his brand new calculator. "Come." He had been working from home this week and wasn't expecting any visitors but he figured it was only Remy coming to give him office updates. When he looked up from his checkbook, the visitor was not whom he had expected. "May I help you?"

Stephanie swallowed and steeled herself from the nerves that told her to back up and go home. "Mr. LeBeau, my name is Stephanie Howlett. I'm-" she was cut off and waved over to a chair, in front of the desk. Her auburn hair had been neatly pulled back into a solitary braid down her back, leaving only her thick bangs to hang down over her hazel eyes. She had dressed in a nice long, dark blue skirt with a magenta blouse, rolled at the sleeves. Her shoes had been plain but nice navy, flat dress shoes that her mother had worn and Stephanie was just now growing into them. Her feet were small and thin so they tended to slide around but, felt fine and comfortable when she walked.

"Logan Howlett's daughter. You and your father live across the street from my son, Remy. What can I do for you, petite?" Jean-Luc put down his pen and folded his hands on his desk. He admired her courage for coming to see him, eventhough he didn't know why. Yet.

Stephanie took a deep breath as she sat down across from the elder LeBeau. "Mister LeBeau, I'm here on behalf of people who want to cheer Remy up and help him move past the death of his lover. It's been over a year and, from what we've seen, he hasn't been himself. More to that, he's seeming like a recluse." She hoped she hadn't come on too strong in her choice of words but she felt that if she addressed the matter as it stood, she'd have been luck appealing to the business sense of Remy's father than anything.

Sitting back in his chair, Jean-Luc smiled at how adult she seemed in her presentation. "You are endeavouring to cheer my son up? What do you propose?"

Stephanie bit her bottom lip and raked her top front teeth over it. "I know you have issues about Remy being-- gay-- and I have also been trying to get used to the idea, as well. But, well, it seems what makes Remy happy is easy to figure out. Ever since he moved in, across from us, he's had a crush on my father. I've talked to my father about what he thinks of Remy and- although he won't give me a straight answer, I think he does have some feelings toward Remy. When I talked to Remy, he really didn't deny it but he also didn't confirm anything." She paused to take a breath and let what she said sink in to the busy elder LeBeau.

"How do you feel about de whole thing, petite?" Jean-Luc tilted his head and remained open to her ideas.

"Well," Stephanie shifted in her chair to cross her legs and rest her elbows on the arms of the chair, "I have to admit that I wasn't really interested in it, at first, but after my brother's accident," she took a deep breath and paused a moment before continuing "let's just say I understand more about him than I did before. I know Remy keeps his personal life to himself and that he's had it rough for being who he is but, since Alex died, he has been everything but himself. When my mother was killed, it was hard for my brother and I because we were kids. It was even harder for my dad because he had to deal with grown up feelings and arrangements and certain things that adults do for that stuff. Before Remy moved in across from us, dad rarely smiled or laughed and really meant it. It's like the life went out of him, after mom died. And, I saw it happen to Remy after Alex but, he had someone right there that my dad never had." 

Jean-Luc leaned forward again and folded his hands in front of him, on his desk. "Impressive assessment, Miss Howlett. Remy has indeed taken a liking to your father, and I can see that Logan has enjoyed my son's company, as well. However, I think your father may not see my Remy as you might suggest. No? It is your attempt to have your father matched up with my Remy, oui?"

Stephanie nodded, hesitantly.

"As a parent, I have tried to steer my son in de right direction and, for de most part, he's been a good boy. Though, I would like to see him together wit' a fille and grandchildren, I don't think that would happen, now. Whatever de cost now, I just want to see Remy happy, in whatever he chooses." Jean-Luc paused a moment and studied Stephanie's face before continuing. "How would you suggest getting dem together?"

Stephanie took a breath. "Well, I know you're having the company picnic soon and everyone will be there. So, I was kind of hoping that, perhaps, you would help get them together?" Polishing her original idea as she spoke, she also listened to Jean-Luc's small twists of the plan and applauded his unique ideas. She had small assumptions that her dad and Remy had already made tiny steps closer to the goal but wasn't exactly sure of the technicalities, let alone her age might have played a role in the mix.

Jean-Luc had been watching Remy's demeanour change, around the office, when Logan was on shift. He noted Remy's casual and sometimes sly wink or glance up at the security cameras when Logan sat in the booth, watching the footage playbacks before rounds. Jean-Luc made notes of Logan's small gestures, as well. He surmised that Logan's motions were somewhat stiff but the emotions to the movement had been clearly obvious.

~~~~~~~~

A few hushed knocks at Remy's office door, before it opened softly and Jean-Luc slipped in, gave Remy a moment to take a breath and sit back from his plans that were starting to make him cross-eyed from staring at them too long. The room was lit for the evening time with a table lamp, a rose-coloured base with an energy-efficient bulb, adorning the small round endtables on either side of the sofa as well as a small, wired desk lamp 

"I have de plans in front of me, poppa. Been workin' on dem all day and they ain't makin' a lick of sense. In fact, s'givin' me a headache." Remy had glanced up to see his father, over the bright glow of the desk lamp, and then immediately turned his attention back to the plans in front of him. He had been glancing at them off and on all day and had gotten just passed nowhere with them. They hadn't made any sense, even in the proposal, from the other company who had asked Remy to take over. His ponytail that he usually kept neatly brushed and shiny now looked frayed and off-sides from him scratching his head or pulling absently on the tail. He stood up and placed his hands on his hips, in thought.

Jean-Luc sat down in the chair, across from Remy, and knitted his fingers together as his elbows rest on the arms of the chair. "Well, I think you might have to change a few things, to make it work. Dey knew dey were handed you a mess. Been three weeks and dey harrassin' you for de finished building but give you shit to work wit'." He leaned forward and saw Remy had several pieces of scratch paper with endless equations and angles of doorways to work through the muddle but only seemed to back himself into a proverbial corner.

"Poppa, in order for de building to even be legal, I'd have to change de entire t'ing." Remy leaned over and planted his hands flat on the desk, on either side of the plans and stared intently on the center of the drawing. 

Jean-Luc remained silent but examined Remy's expression, the way his eyes glazed over when he stared at the plans and then he would snap out of it and seem to think of something else. By the casual grin, Jean-Luc wondered if Remy was now thinking of the building's Chief Security, Logan. There was a slight twitch in the right corner of Remy's mouth that repeated every few seconds. Nothing drastic and noticeable but something so subtle, a microscope would have been needed to point out the movement. He smiled covertly at the randomness of Remy's thinking and stood up to excuse himself from the office. "S' late, mon fils. Go home, get some rest and think about dis mess in de daylight, non?" He could tell Remy wasn't listening and that he was too far gone thinking of something he much rather enjoyed than being in a stuffy office with plans drawn to thoroughly confuse a rat trap. "Remy!"

Looking up, Remy let the happy expression and thoughts drain from his face.

"Go home, mon fils." Jean-Luc turned and started for the office door. "Dere's no business here dat can't wait 'til morning." Finishing his statement, Jean-Luc turned and winked knowingly back at Remy and then exited the room, leaving Remy to catch on to the thought and call it quits for the night. 

A hiss and a sigh as Remy sat down in his chair and turned away from his desk and the plans that made no sense, to stare blankly out the window to a darkened parking lot. He had been amased to find how dark it had gotten since his last attempt to leave his office, earlier in the afternoon. It was the final moment of sunset when the sky turned from deep purples and oranges to plain black. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes with a finger and thumb and then pinched the bridge of his nose to thwart an on-coming headache. Another sigh as he turned the chair and pushed himself to stand up. He felt tired and achy. Remy stretched, raising his hands above his head, clasping them and turning his torso from left to right in attempt to loosen stiff joints. Letting out a deep exhale, Remy shut off the desk lamp and numbly walked to the first of two table lamps and reached down, through the large, open white shade and turned the small black knob off before moving to the lamp closest to the door. 

Remy grabbed his suit jacket from the coatrack, casually slipping the garment on, he glanced over at the desk and paused there a moment before shaking his head and turning off the second table lamp, enveloping the room into darkness, save from the lights outside that filtered in through the bare office window. Shutting and locking his office door, Remy paused to think of anything he might have forgotten but when nothing came, he shrugged softly and turned for the elevator.

~~~~~~~~~

The night was warm and clear as Remy sat in a folding chair, in the driveway. He had turned the motion sensors to his outside light off so there would be no flash of blinding light to prove just how much alcohol he was consuming. He sat there, staring across the street at Logan's mostly dark house and noticed a faint glowing dot hovering on the porch. Squinting his eyes as the red dot moved slightly, a grin played on his lips as he raised his right hand and waved over to Logan. He took another sip of his beverage and smiled again as Logan had started strolling over to meet him. "Dere's cold beer in de fridge and a chair against de cabinet." His thumb pointed the way behind him to the open garage door with a plain white, 50's style refrigerator first on the right and a newly put together tall, tan work cabinet beside it, leaving a foot of space between the two for the two folding chairs.

Logan grabbed the second folding chair and opened the refrigerator's door to retrieve an ice cold bottle of Coors Light out of the three different brands Remy had placed very neatly on the two wire shelves. Shutting the door, he admired the classic appliance and could faintly see the pastel blue colour in the evening light. "New fridge?" With the chair in one hand and the still capped beer in the other, Logan glanced down to see Remy had already drained three of six beverages and was working on a fourth. The empty bottles were lined up neatly along the bottom door of the tall cabinet, holding a flattened six pack box against the door. The silver box stood out against the filtered moonlight almost pleading with Logan to save his friend from total drunkenness. 

Remy turned in his chair to answer and watch as Logan brought the chair to set up to his left. "A friend needed one dat worked so I gave him de one dat was dere. Poppa had dis one in de basement so, I fixed it up and kept it. Nice, eh?" He turned back as Logan sat down and unscrewed the cap to the bottle before taking a long sip.

"Real nice." Logan said under a sigh of relaxation. "Long week, huh?"

"Oui." Remy took another sip of his and turned to look up at the starlit sky. It was finally Friday and Remy had spent the better part of the afternoon and evening getting over a migraine from the nonsense building plans and the disappointment of the original architect as he looked over the newly constructed plans with doorways that actually lead into rooms, instead of walls and stairs that lead up to a second floor rather than just into single rooms. Remy could laugh about it now but earlier that morning he had been so upset that the designer fought to get the original plans back and completed for inspection. Remy yelled and enforced that any building inspector would never see such a workplace of five stories as a sound and stable building. The architect was a brainless half-wit and Remy felt it right to advise the man of such soundings.

They sat there in silence for a while, sipping their beverages and enjoying the cooling temperatures with every 15 minutes that passed. Remy could smell Logan's aftershave and took long inhales, casually, of the man to his left. Logan smelled of Afta and Remy had never smelled anything like it before. He enjoyed the crispness and tartness of it as Logan wore the scent well.

Logan watched as a shooting star sped along the blackness of the night's sky before fading away shortly after starting its hurried journey. 

Remy had caught Logan's line of sight and leaned over to whisper, "s'posed ta make a wish." He winked as Logan's eyes travelled from the sky to his and added a smile to sweeten the deal.

"What did you wish for?" Logan nudged a grin and leaned in closer to Remy, keeping his voice low.

Remy straightened his expression and leaned back in his chair, fixing his stare at the end of the driveway. "When I was little, I had dis tall, upright five-drawer, brown dresser. I remember de top drawer was above my head. I knew what was in it, jus' sweatshirts an' stuff, but I was terrified of dat drawer. Don't know why. Well, I remember one night, my momma was gonna put a knitted sweater on me. It was white wit' red shoulders and open at de neck. She'd scrunch it up so dat it was just a quick over-de-head pull but I was so scared of dat top drawer-- an' what was in it. Dat sweater came outta dat top drawer. Anyway, I would stop her, every time she tried ta put it on me an' run an' get every toy I had." Remy paused to laugh at the memory. "She finally gave up an' let me wear a jacket dat zipped up, instead. My fear continued until one day, poppa made me stand in my room an' he pulled de drawer out ta show me what I was so afraid of. He told me dat I had to be a 'big boy', now dat I was six years old." Pausing and sighing as he bowed his head and closed his eyes, Remy took a long breath and inhaled the scent of Logan's aftershave. "Every day after dat, I spent tryin' ta be a grown up; doin' whatever grown ups do an' tryin' ta live how dey live. I have most of it, all except de love of a lifetime part."

Logan didn't answer all at once. He wasn't sure what to say to comfort Remy in his moment of disclosure. "What happened to the dresser?"

"Hm? Oh, I kept it for a few more year, until I was tall enough to see over de drawer an' look inside. Finally got rid of it a few years ago. Don't remember what happened to de sweater." Remy shrugged and scratched his head as he pictured the white and red sweater his mother had knitted for him.

Nodding and finishing his beer Logan looked over at his neighbour as Remy contained a yawn. "It's gettin' late. C'mon, I'll tuck ya in, seein' as how I doubt you could make it up the stairs without a nap or two." He watched as Remy finished his beer and let Logan remove it from his hand to set it down on the cement before helping Remy to stand. He left the chairs and bottles sitting in the driveway while he practically carried Remy into the house via the garage door that lead into the laundry room and then into the kitchen.

Logan sat Remy down on the stairs to search for the lightswitch. Finding one in the kitchen, Logan turned around, after turning the soft white light overhead on, to find Remy had stretched out on his right side, on the carpeted stairs and fell asleep. He stood there and admired the lanky Cajun that curled his right arm under his head while the other held on to stair below that one and his feet almost stood on the third to last stair. His cool expression was that of peace. 

Remy lay there before Logan quietly came over and scooped him up, carrying him up the rest of the stairs and over to his bedroom. As Logan lowered Remy's head onto the pillow, Remy lurched awake and wrapped his arms around Logan's neck, holding him there. Pulling the blanket up, between them but just barely shoving himself away, Logan knew Remy was already half asleep and in no full control of his actions. "It's gettin' late. Time to rest, now." Moving slowly down Remy's long legs, Logan removed the bright, white sneakers that dangled off of the bed, placing each limp foot underneath the thin white cotton covers. Gentle, even breaths let Logan know Remy had fallen asleep. Raising both hands up to unlock Remy's thin arms from his neck, Logan finished tucking the young man in and tip-toed over to the door. 

"My story come wit' a moral, ya know." Remy spoke from under half-lidded eyes. 

Logan paused and turned around to lean against the corner of Remy's side-by-side, beside the door. "What's the moral of the story?"

Remy still lay on his back and blinked but didn't open his eyes any wider. "Sometimes what's in de top drawer isn't somet'in' to fear. It's really jus' dere to protec' you from de elements. Mah mother made dat sweater. She tol' me dat if I wore it, nothin' bad would ever happen ta me; dat it protec' me. I wore it for de firs' time I held my best friend's hand. She'd tell me dat 'love was a leap of faith' so, I hope you find your white knit sweater, Logan." Clearing his throat, Remy sniffed and rolled onto his left side to whisper, "bon nuit, Logan." He closed his eyes and before his second breath, Remy was sound asleep.

Logan stood and turned the opposite direction as the door as something in his ear nagged at him to glance at and pick up the small, 5x7 frame that sat so perfectly on Remy's dressertop. The man was a younger Jean-Luc and the elegant young woman, Logan presumed, was Remy's mother. They stood there against a New Orleans backdrop, looking so in love and content as they smiled brightly for the camera. With Jean-Luc in a tan suit with black tie and tan fedora and his mother in a slim peach dress, about to go out for a romantic evening alone. Logan blinked and sighed as he looked up at Remy's sleeping body, replacing the picture carefully before silently exiting the room and closing up the garage, replacing the chairs to their cubby and going home. 

 

Continued.


	12. Chapter 12

It was a nice Saturday afternoon for a company picnic. Jean-Luc had rented an entire section of a nearby park for the 750 plus attendants. The sun shone and the sky was a perfect azure with only tiny wisps of clouds in the far off distance.

A small podium ontop of a long picnic table stood as a place to speak announcements before the festivities kicked off. It was a little after two in the afternoon when Jean-Luc tapped a fork against his crystal wine glass and cleared his throat into the microphone before he spoke. "Welcome to the LeBeau Industries company picnic. Before we get started today, I have a few announcements. First, I am pleased to say that we have scored the highest rating in the building market according to Business Monthly. Second, I would like to announce the upcoming opening of our newest building addition in Tacoma. Some of you will be lucky enough to train new employees and others will go one step further in spending some time there with start-ups or transfer permanently, if you so desire. My son, Remy, has been helping our new branch get up and running from here but will be spending some time in Tacoma in the coming months." Offering a small smile in recognition of Remy and his efforts, and gesturing to Remy with an open hand, Jean-Luc continued, "I would like to thank you all for the wonderful service year after year. May the next ten years be just as wonderful! Enjoy!"

The crowd that had gathered around the long table now applauded the speech and started to break up and mingle. The sounds of rock music and jazz from opposite sides of the park began to swarm in while the scent of hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob and other interesting smells filled the air. 

Children of all ages ran around, played games and laughed and joked with other children at the park. A seldom few gathered to go fishing at the park's catch and release lake, down at the bottom of a steep hill, on the other side of the park. 

It was an enjoyable day and Matthew and Stephanie made the best of it with an only child of a manager from the third floor. A young boy with a fascination for model airplanes and remote control cars. Logan watched as the three friends set up and powered the scale-model B-52 Bomber off of the ground and into the air.

Logan stood under a large mulberry tree and surveyed the parkful of people. Making a panoramic sweep of the people laughing and chatting and enjoying the warm day, Logan's eyes paused on Remy talking to his father in a tone that was not so light-hearted. They weren't yelling yet they weren't exactly happy either. Although, he couldn't hear what they were saying, being that they were a ways away from where he stood, Logan summed that the announcement Jean-Luc had given was not something that Remy was looking forward to. The conversation lasted a few minutes more before they each went their separate ways. Logan wondered what had upset Remy but was not wanting to overstep his bounds.

Remy headed for the hill, overlooking the fishing lake, to sit in the shady spot and relax before lunch was served. He lounged back on one elbow and watched two little boys walk up and down along the edge of the lake, below, holding a long fishing pole. He watched the two boys for awhile and thought back to when he and his older brother had done the same thing in the pond behind their summer home, in Paris. The shaded grass felt cool underneath him, the air smelled clean and inviting and the calm wooshing of the small waves on the water lulled his anger and frustration with his father.

Walking casually over to where Remy reclined, Logan cleared his throat in a subtle attempt to gain Remy's attention and smiled when his neighbour looked over with a welcoming smile, himself. "There you are. Wondered where you got to."

"Just been here, watchin' de kids at de lake." Remy turned his attention back to the two boys with the fishing pole. His dark sunglasses hid the fact that he hadn't slept in a few nights and his eyes were very overworked, giving him frequent headaches. He wore blue jeans and a T-shirt but somehow he felt underdressed. 

Logan nodded. "You feelin' alright?" He had noticed a stifled yawn as Logan sat down beside Remy and also kept count of how many late nights Remy's living room light had been on, well past the hours Remy usually went to bed, during the week. It wasn't his business or authority to tell Remy how to take care of himself but he grew deeply concerned for his friend over the course of the past few weeks.

Remy shrugged but nodded an answer, even though he knew Logan could see through his deception. He sighed and stifled another yawn before glancing over at Logan. "You enjoyin' yerself?"

"Yea. Watchin' the kids and minglin' with the people." Pulling his knees up to rest his arms across them, Logan followed Remy's line of sight down to the two boys with the oversized pole. He smiled and held in a chuckle as they became excited about the first small fish they had caught all afternoon. "So, ya been busy with Tacoma, huh? Good."

Again, Remy nodded. "I leave for a few weeks, on Monday. Bobby left two weeks ago. He moved dere so, I will stay wit' him." Somehow, Remy didn't seem too excited to go but he didn't mind the change of scenery.

"How ya feelin' about that?" 

Remy shrugged. "Bobby's okay. We get along just fine. And de job is goin' smooth. No problem."

"You two-- seein' each other again?"

"Non." Remy shook his head and averted his eyes, eventhough the sunglasses were in place, Logan had a way of seeing right through Remy's defensive lines. "Bobby is nice, an' was great in bed but, he reminds me of Alex too much. Time for a change, ca va?"

"As long as yer happy, kiddo." Logan could tell that the stress of Remy's new job was wearing on him but he was not going to move past where he wasn't needed or wanted. He was forced to wait to help the younger man that he knew wouldn't ask for help until he was forced to do so.

Ten minutes had passed and they sat in silence until a young lady from Accounts Payable walked over to them and mentioned that lunch was being served.

Logan stood up and helped Remy to his feet as he called down to the boys, now sitting at the edge of the water, and telling them that it was time to eat.

~~~~~~~~

Stephanie unlocked the door and opened it to a darkened entryway of Remy's house. She held a stack of mail in her hands from the past week and stepped inside to leave it on the table, with the other three weeks' had been placed. She paused at the edge of the table nearest the door and listened to the deafening silence of Remy's house.

She had done some cleaning and dusting, to keep the house presentable when Remy came home but mainly it was just to give her something to do. She missed her odd but handsome neighbour and wondered why he had been so distant, prior to his leaving for Washington. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the now diminishing scent of the house's owner. 

A knock on the open front door snapped her back to the present as Logan stepped in. "Hey. Just dropping off the mail."

Logan nodded. "Ya miss him, too, huh?"

"Yeah." Stephanie glanced down at the creme coloured carpeting. "When's he coming back?"

Logan sighed and stared into his daughter's eyes as he answered, "his dad says he's staying two more weeks. They're needin' a lot more help than originally thought but it shouldn't be too much longer."

Stephanie glanced up at the top of the stairs, half-expecting to see Remy standing there, looking down at them. She sighed and shrugged. "Is he okay? Before he left, I got this feeling like he really didn't want to go."

"Like what?"

Looking around the room and then making her way over to sit on a stool, at the bar, Stephanie thought back to the last time she saw Remy, from across the street. "Well, he didn't say it but, it was on his mind. Not sure what. He just seemed unhappy with this whole thing about Washington and the company."

Logan's brow furrowed as he took the stool next to her and sat down. "When did this start?"

"Around the time of the picnic. Dad, what if he stays there, permanently? Finds a new place, meets someone that's in to him and that he's into? Then what?" Stephanie met Logan's eyes with concern. She had only admitted it to herself that she had grown accustomed to Remy and thought of him as more than just a neighbour and a friend. "Daddy, I know when mom died, you shut yourself off from everyone else. And, I guess, Matt and I did, too. When Remy moved here, something changed; in you, in him. Having Remy across the street--, daddy, he's had your back so many times. You've had his, as well. I know you don't want anything to happen to him--"

Logan stopped her from finishing. "Baby, Remy and I are from two different worlds. He can't change who he is, for me. I can't change who I am, for him. It just doesn't happen in a snap."

"I'm not asking you to change, dad. But, you're kidding yourself if you say you don't have feelings for him." Stephanie stated simply before sliding off of the stool and heading for the front door to go back across the street. She smiled to herself as she felt a twinge pull on her mind, telling her that Logan was thinking about what she had said.

It had been Jean-Luc's idea to send Remy to Tacoma to get the newest addition up and running and Stephanie would work on helping Logan sort out his feelings for Remy in Remy's absence. She had done her best not to force Logan to change his mind, only suggest what Logan already knew he felt for the Cajun.

Stephanie could sense Jean-Luc's hesitation on the idea to get Logan and Remy together, yet the thought of seeing Remy mope around the office or home was more than a father could stand for his child. In the end, it became more of wanting to see both Logan and Remy happy in their choices. However, both Stephanie and Jean-Luc decided they would only nudge and not demand to have Remy and Logan make up their minds.

By the time Stephanie reached the front door of their house, she had started to have her doubts. What if Logan didn't realise what he was truly feeling for Remy? What if Remy liked Tacoma and wanted to stay there permanently? What if Remy really didn't feel anything at all for Logan, and vise versa?

Stephanie stood there, with her hand on the door knob, waiting for some mystical sign that everything would be alright and that the makeshift plan would come together. Nothing. No lightning, no cloud burst, no voice from above stating reassurance. With a small sigh, Stephanie opened the door and stepped inside.

~~~~~~~~~

Matthew sat in his purple beam bag chair, at the end of his bed, with a game controller in his hands. His small, 12" screen set showed the latest space game for blasting monsters and space ships. He had been engrossed in his game for several hours and didn't hear the recent knock on the door until the door opened and Stephanie stepped in.

When the sound was muted, Matthew paused the game and turned around to see Stephanie standing next to his bed, with the television remote in her hand. "Hey!"

"I knocked, Matthew. You did not answer."

Matthew turned around and went back to his muted game. "What d'ya want?"

Stephanie came to sit on the floor, next to him and curled her legs under her. She took a minute before answering, watching his silent game with passive enthusiasm. "What do you think of Remy?"

"Um," Matthew paused the game again, brow furrowing, "he's okay. Did somethin' happen to him?"

Stephanie shook her head. "He has been gone awhile."

"Yea, so? He's been busy. What does that have to do with us?"

"Matthew, weren't you listening at the picnic? Remy is in Tacoma."

Shrugging, Matthew turned to stare at his paused game. "So, Toyota is a good brand." His sarcasm caused his sister to cringe and stand up. "Aw, sit down, Stevie! I know what's goin' on. I'm not stupid."

"I did not say that." Stephanie stood there a moment. 

Sighing and dropping the game controller to the floor, on the other side of his chair, Matthew stood up and stretched. "You're afraid that Remy's gonna move there and find some other family to snuggle up to, right? And that dad'll never tell Remy what he really thinks of him, right? So, you're here, wanting me to help beg dad to convince Remy to stay, eventhough, Remy hasn't officially moved, yet. What makes you so sure dad OR Remy'll listen to us?"

Stephanie looked around at her normally messy brother's room and waved a hand to indicate that it was now spotless. "Well, if anything, you can tell him Remy taught you how to keep your room clean."

"Yea, I'm gonna ask dad if I can wash his car at 3.30 in the mornin', too." 

Stephanie looked less than impressed with the remark. "Look, you and I both know something is going on between them. Dad never took to anybody like he took to Remy."

"Uh, hello? Remy is dad's boss's son. Duh!"

"You know what I mean."

Matthew shrugged again. "Look, I like Remy. Alot. Of course, I don't want him to move away but, it goes with the job. More importantly, Remy's gay and dad isn't. How're ya gonna change that? Duh?"

Stephanie folded her arm in front of her. "It couldn't hurt to at least let them know how we feel in the matter."

"I doubt it'll change anything."

~~~~~~~~

A yellow cab pulled up in front of Remy's driveway and stopped to let an exhausted Cajun out of the backseat. The trunk lid opened and the driver got out to retrieve the heavy black Samsonite out of the trunk. It was late in the night an he was extremely tired of being inside a moving vehicle with no room to move aorund. Remy sighed as the cab pulled away and left him staring at a dark house. 

Remy checked his watch. One forty-five. He was glad to be home, again. He stood there, listening for the airline sounds and the sounds of bustling traffic and loud, obnoxious horns blowing amidst the downpour of rain. Silence. He took a deep breath and bent down to grab hold of the suitcase's handle and carry it over to the front door before, unlocking the door and hauling it inside.

The house was dark until he padded over to the table by the sofa and switched the lamp on, revealing a clean house with a small mountain of posts in the middle of the dining room table. Remy sighed as he stared over at the table and then looked in the direct of the darkened stairs that led to his bedroom, and a shower.

Leaving his suitcase in the middle of the living floor, Remy locked the front door and headed upstairs, undressing as he ascended the stairs. He was nude by the time he reached his bathroom. He couldn't wait to get under the spray of a hot shower and wash the past few weeks and travel hassles away.

Relaxing in a long, hot, mind-and-body numbing shower, Remy looked forward to having a day off to relax. Soaping, rinsing and drying his body off, Remy draped the damp towel over his head as he checked to make sure the water was completely off before heading back into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Slipping on his boxers and finishing drying his hair, Remy walked back to the bathroom to hang up his towel before going back downstairs to get a glass of water and shut off the living room light before going to bed for the night.

Remy settled into bed and gently laid his head down, onto the pillow and closed his eyes. Sleep came easy and willingly and Remy slept for several good hours before waking when the sun's rays hit him in the face through the open blinds. Rolling over and groaning, Remy tucked the pillow over his head and tried to get some more sleep but it was impossible. Another groan before Remy tossed the pillow and the covers off and sat up.

With a heavy breath, he turned and looked at the clock by the bed. The glowing blue numbers stood three inches high and read 7:55. Outside, he heard three doors shut, letting him know that Logan and the children were leaving for school. Remy blinked slowly and pushed himself up, off of the bed to stumble downstairs for a cup, or three, of coffee.

~~~~~~~~~

Remy sat in a folding chair, at the edge of his open garage, and sipped his coffee. He glared at the early morning hours through his dark sunglasses and took another sip as Logan's white Envoy pulled into the driveway across the street. It was just after 8 and Remy was still yawning.

As Logan got out and shut the car door, he nodded at the drowsy Cajun and wandered over. "When did you get back?" he called from the edge of the driveway.

"Sometime dis mornin'. Still kinda tired from all of de travellin'." Remy covered a yawn. He sipped his coffee and then offered Logan a cup. "Jus' made a pot. Help yaself." The sun had slowly started to rise up his from the cuffs of his faded denim jeans to his worn and tattered denim knees. His maroon shirt was also faded, looking more of a dark pink than red.

The corner of Logan's mouth lifted at the hospitality as he decided to take his neighbour up on the offer. Making his way into the house via the garage door, Logan noticed that the stack of post was still on the table and Remy's black suitcase was placed so casually in the middle of the living room floor. He shook his head and made his way over to the kitchen cabinet to remove a cup for himself and pour the still hot coffee before returning to the garage to chat with his friend.

By the time Logan rejoined Remy, there was an extra chair placed next to the dozing young man. In one hand, Logan carried his blue coffee cup and in the other, he held the stainless steel decanter full of coffee. "Need a warm up?"

"Huh?" Remy's head twisted upward to barely peer up at Logan holding the pot, ready to pour. "Oui," Remy held his cup up for a refill. A small amount of black liquid lined the bottom of the rounded white cup.

Logan poured the hot liquid into Remy's cup and stopped when he heard Remy mumble a "merci" through a yawn. Setting the decanter down, on a small table beside Remy's chair, Logan took his seat on the other side of Remy. He, himself, yawned from being up all night, working, and then to come home and take his two kids to school. 

After a sip of freshly warmed coffee, Remy looked over at Logan and smiled. "Good to be home, finally." Another sip and a sigh as Logan nodded in agreement.

"How was your trip? Good? Bad?"

Remy was not sure how to phrase his answer. "It was alright. Got a lot done but dere's still a lot left to do." He covered another yawn.

"Looks like you could use a few winks." Logan smirked.

Remy propped his head on his right hand as his elbow planted itself on the metal arm of the chair. "Mebbe later. Got a lady comin' ta look at de house." 

Logan tilt his head and looked at Remy with concern. "Somethin' wrong with it?"

Shaking his head, Remy took another sip and then a deep breath. He stared across the street, at Logan's house and driveway with the shiny white Envoy. "Bobby's already moved dere, and asked me to move dere wit' him. Been t'inkin' about it all night. A nice change from here but, not really lookin' forward to de packin' up here an' de office an' movin' across country just to keep Bobby company."

Logan was silent for a long few moments. He stared up at the spectacular yellow and blue sky as if it were going to give him a piece of encouragement, instead of an inkling of despair. "So, you've made yer mind up?"

Remy shook his head. "Not yet. Brought back a few realty magazines to help me decide." Out of the corner of his eye, Remy observed Logan's sombre expression, even though Logan was trying not to show it.

"The kids'll miss you."

Remy turned his head. "Et toi?" His heart paused and his breath stopped, dangling by a thread of what Logan might or might not say. He hoped Logan would talk him into staying and finally confess his true admirations.

Logan shrugged and sipped his coffee. "I s'pose I could be just as tore up or as happy and accepting as possible but, if you have yer mind set on goin, then you should really go."

After a long, deep breath and a looking away for a moment, Remy swallowed Logan's irresolute words. "I won't beg you to ask me ta stay, Logan. We have very different lifestyles and ta change dem now, would be so confusin' an' chaotic to de children. Sides, it's not like we're datin', Logan." He paused as the lump in his throat rose almost to a stifling level. "Are we, Logan?"

Another gulp of hot coffee burned the back of Logan's throat as it slid down to his belly. "I didn't think anyone could replace the love I lost, after Jean. Then, you moved in and the world stopped. Matt's just ecstatic that he has someone to play video games with and teach him how to unlock doors in under two minutes. And Steph, well-- she really took to ya after Matt's flyin' lesson." Logan sighed and stood up, taking two steps forward and then another, final, sip of coffee. "Remy, I can't make you stay or go. That's yer decision, no one else's." Logan turned to look back at Remy.

Remy now sat with one hand holding his empty coffee cup and the other propped up by his elbow, fingers curled around his mouth and twitching in thought. "How do you feel about me, Logan?" He had been staring at the ground but glanced up to meet Logan's gaze.

The question lingered in the air, between them, for a moment that lasted well into the next and the next after that. Logan hadn't thought about it. Hadn't wanted to. He swallowed hard and then sat down next to Remy, thinking of the right wording. He thought back to those few weeks and months when he and Remy fell together into bed. So much passion and foreplay, hindered by baited breath of possible heartbreak, on both ends. The question graduated to his head, which swelled and began to pound incessantly. 

Remy's hopeful gaze continued steadily with every blink he offered Logan. "De question still stands, Logan." Remy had never felt so vulnerable before this day.

Before Logan could answer, Remy timer for his medication went off and he was up and staggering into the house for his pills. Before he reached the door, Logan was behind him, helping him up the stair and over to the stool, at the bar. He was placed onto the stool with care and affection as a loving parent would help an ailing child. "Tell me. I need ta know."

Remy's timer went off again, acknowledging that Remy was late with his medication. Feeling angry with the contraption that had to delay the conversation, Remy removed his cell phone, where the beeping timer noise had come from, and launched it across the room to have it smash against the fireplace mantle. "Tell me, Logan! Do you care for me, or non?"

"If I said 'yes' right now, you'd think I was appeasin' you. If I say 'no', yer liable to toss me over the mantle. I can't make yer mind up for you and this topic shouldn't be the decidin' line. What's the rush?" Logan leaned against the end of the bar, his expression turned to concern for Remy.

Shaking his head and averting his eyes from Logan, once again, Remy sighed and gave a shrug. "Poppa is lookin' for an answer by next week. He wants me to take over de business, in Tacoma. He's gonna retire back ta Nawlins, by de end of de year." Remy turned back and closed the gap, his lips embraced Logan's in a simple kiss. "Logan, I ain't never been apart of someone's life, like de way I was wit' yours. Alex's brother saw to it dat Alex was a pawn to get to me. Now, he's dead. Jamie's just interested in de lifestyle, an' my money. Bobby's-- well, he jus' don't know what he wants. Matt's like a little brother, so wild an' excited about anythin'. Stephanie, well, she's a real great fille." Remy paused a moment and took a step back. "Those few times in my bed, Logan-- was dat just havin' fun? Or, did you really care for Remy?"

"You aren't a joke, Remy. These past few years have gotten me thinkin about things, more and more. I've come to the conclusion, we've been spendin' more time together than any other neighbour on the block. Everything about you is sexual and tender and mysterious and infuriating. I don't think I've ever met anyone as frustrating as you. Nor, do I think I want to." Logan started.

"Gee, thanks."

Logan sighed and composed himself. "The kids want you to stay. I want you to stay. I don't know about forever but, how about we start with just one day at a time?"

Nodding, Remy closed the gap and embraced Logan in a long, deep, heartfelt kiss. He wanted so much more but decided to start slow, for Logan's sake.

 

End.


End file.
